One in a Millennium
by jilnachtaugen
Summary: Yugi is a shy girl who wants nothing more than to enjoy life. Unfortunately, a nuisance going by Joey Wheeler keeps making her high school experience miserable. Their relationship gets drastically altered when a certain puzzle is given to her. As strange things start happening and suspicious newcomers get interested, their fates get irreversibly intertwined. AU. Fem!Yugi x Joey
1. Yugi

**Hi guys! So this is an story that popped into my head and that I wanted to try. I know there's not much shipping for this but I'm giving it a shot anyways!**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

In that peaceful spring morning, Yugi Muto was walking at a tranquil pace in the streets of Domino City wearing her uniform as well as a smile on her face. The sky was clear, the birds were singing. The people of her neighborhood saluted her as she passed by. She was hard to miss with her crazy tricolored hair. But she liked that kind of atmosphere. It always put her in a good mood for a bright new day. With her optimism, she continued on her way to school, excited to work on another of her crazy puzzles.

As she got closer to school, she started coming across more and more students in blue uniforms walking the same way as her. Being a natural optimist, very few things could ruin her day or put her in a bad mood at all. The short girl entered the school building and went for her locker. But when she opened it, a small sheet of paper fell out. Another bright smile appeared on her face even before she began reading.

 _8:30 this evening. Don't be late. - SK_

Yugi laughed to herself. This was Kaiba alright. Quick to business and not a word of curtesy. It felt more like an order than an invitation. It would have frustrated anyone else, but she'd gotten too used to him. The first bell pulled her out of her daze and made her hurry up the stairs to go to her classroom. There, the game-brain quickly spotted two girls talking near her desk. One had short brown hair cut above the shoulders while the other, a long, gorgeous, flowing waist-length white mane. Both had blue eyes, one deep ocean colored and the other, pure sapphire.

"Hey Yugi! What's up?" Said Tea, welcoming her when she saw her approach.

"Hi Tea! Hi Kisa!" She replied, taking her seat.

"Wow, you look tired. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry." She yawned. "I just stayed up late finishing a game."

"So, any crazy new game for us today?" Asked the girl with snow colored hair.

"Yep! Grandpa gave me a new puzzle." Cheerfully replied the petite girl. "It looks really complicated too."

True to her name, Yugi was a lover of games. Puzzles, brain teasers, strategy, boardgames, you name it! Most of all she loved playing with Tea and Kisa. They didn't really understand Yugi's obsession with games but they played along most of the time.

Her brown haired friend sighed. "I don't know how you have the patience for those things. I tried doing a fifty piece puzzle once and I gave up after fifteen minutes. I couldn't even find two matching pieces! I like boardgames much better."

"I like brain teasers." Said Kisa. "But I don't think I'd ever be able to complete a puzzle like the ones your grandpa gives you. You're really gifted, you know that?"

Yugi scratched the back of her head and laughed nervously. "You really think so? Sometimes it takes years for me to solve them."

"I know so! Seriously, with all that mind bending, I'm surprised you're not the top of the class."

"Well, I'm not as passionate as you when it comes to studying, Kisa."

"I'm not passionate about studying, I just listen in class."

Tea growled and made a depressed face before slumping over the desk. "I hate smart people. Have some tact! Some of us have to study."

"D-don't feel down Tea." Kindly said Yugi. "You have your own talents. You're the best dancer in school! I bet you'll be recognized in no time!"

"Speaking of recognition, is that what I think it is?" Asked Tea who had spotted the piece of paper in her short friend's hand.

"Oh, yeah. It's another invitation for this evening."

"I can't believe that guy! He just summons you like this at the last minute whenever it pleases him not even considering that you may have plans!"

"Come on, Tea." Said Kisa, giggling. "He's not that bad. Besides, he doesn't hold it against her when she's busy. Right Yugi?"

"Why are you defending him so much Kisa?" Protested Tea. "The guy is a total tyrant!"

"I'm not! I'm just saying he's not as bad as he seems."

The brown haired rolled her eyes. "Only someone with a heart as big as yours would say that. I have a hard time even looking at him."

Before Kisa could reply, the teacher walked in, getting the attention of the class. "Alright kids, settle down. Class will begin soon."

Kisa and Tea returned to their seats, after asking that their friend show them her new game later. Ms Watson started her english class but was interrupted fifteen minutes later when the door slammed open making her jump. A boy with quite the mass of blond hair and in a disheveled school uniform stepped in.

"Joseph Wheeler, do you have any idea what time it is?" Scolded Ms Watson.

"My bad, teach." Nonchalantly replied the boy grinning. "Got caught up in a bit of a situation on my way here."

"I bet you did." Said the woman rolling her eyes, too used to this kind of behavior from him. "This is the third time this week, Mr Wheeler. Go to your seat and try not to disturb the class. If this happens again, I will inform the principal."

"Yeah, yeah." Replied the troublemaker before heading to his seat.

The short girl gulped and her muscles tensed. Very few things could ruin Yugi's good mood and positivity. Unfortunately, one of those things happened to be Joseph Wheeler, someone she saw on a daily basis because they happened to share the same class this year. To top it all off his seat was close to hers. As he got closer, she felt her stomach tie in a knot. Clenching her hands and looking down, she silently prayed that he didn't pay attention to her. Each of his steps, making her heart rate increase. Thankfully, he went straight to his seat. So she risked a glance at him. Feet on his desk and arms behind his head, he clearly wasn't paying attention to class. Yugi also noticed the nasty bruise on his face. It was a common rumor that Joey was part of a violent street gang. He always showed up completely beat up to class. That knowledge alone was enough to have anyone be scared of him. She turned back around and tried to focus on class.

* * *

The day went by without any incidents. Mostly due to the fact that Yugi would hurry out as soon as class was over and had Tea and Kisa with her. Yugi thought for sure she was out of the woods. Plus she forgot about her worries when she got to show her new game to her friends. That one had turned out to be an incredibly complicated 3D wooden puzzle. She managed to finish it in twenty minutes. She was proud of herself. And now she just couldn't wait to get home and change so she could go to her rendezvous. After saying goodbye to her friends, the game addict went to her locker to retrieve some books.

"Oh that's right!" She exclaimed after closing the metal door. She reached for her phone in her pocket. "I didn't reply."

"Reply to who?" Said a voice behind her, making her jump and whip around.

"J-Joey!"

He grinned at her. "Hi there Yugi. What' ya up to short stuff? You're not hidin' from me are ya?"

"A-actually, I'm in a hurry." She stuttered as she started backing away before turning around. "I'll see you later, bye."

"Ya lost this in class!" He called out waving out a piece of paper.

She stopped in her tracks and froze. Knowing he had her attention now, the blond boy smirked. "I didn't know ya and moneybags were a thing. But ya know what? It's just like him to call someone out like this. Ya like being treated like a servant Yug?"

A deep shade of red colored her face and she tried to grab the paper from him. "We're not like that! Kaiba's just inviting me to play a game with him."

"Ya call this an invitation?" Mocked the blond, keeping the paper out of her reach. "I call this whistlin' for your dog. Ya gonna come to me when I whistle, Yugi?"

"That's not funny, Joey!" She protested, still trying to get a hold of her paper. "Give it back!"

His smile suddenly faded and he stopped trying to dodge her. "Don't ya got any self-esteem, shrimp? The guy's basically orderin' ya around and ya're doin' exactly what he wants ya to."

"I'm telling you it's not like that!" She insisted. "Kaiba understands when I have other things to do, it's just an invitation."

"Yeah? Then prove it. Ditch the jerk."

"I can't do that." Exclaimed the girl, scandalized. "Not without good reason. Besides, I like playing with Kaiba. He's an excellent adversary."

"Tch. Ya really are hopeless."

The glare he threw her paralyzed her. She felt like a hare being watched by a fox and the hair on her neck stood. The bad boy dropped the paper and took a couple of quick steps towards her. She only realized that she'd backed off when her back hit the lockers. He leaned down at her with those predator eyes. He was so tall. So much taller than her. So much stronger too. The girl froze up while his brown eyes threw daggers at her. Suddenly she wasn't short enough for her taste. She wanted to shrink even more and disappear.

"Guys like him are trash." Spat out Joey with a low voice, dripping with hate. "They think they own the world just 'cause they got cash. And people like you who let themselves be led on like that flatter their ego. Are ya really that weak-willed?"

"I-it's...not l-like that..." Her voice was little more than a squeak, but that seemed to only serve to annoy him more.

The boy clenched his teeth and grabbed her by the collar with his free hand, making her release a cry of fear. Their faces were only inches from each other. "Ya really piss me off. Stop stutterin' and say it properly! Ya got a voice, so use it!"

"..."

Yugi shut her eyes and raised her arms, fearing that he might do more than just yell at her. But at that same moment, a book collided with the back of the boy's head. He released her and turned around, ready to give a bloody beating to the culprit. That is until his eyes fell on the girl with snow white hair who was throwing him an angry glare.

"Leave her alone, Joey!" Snapped Kisa making her way towards them. "Why don't you pick on someone you're own size for a change?"

"Tch. Whatever. I'm out of here."

Throwing his bag over his shoulder, the blond walked out the door without giving them another look. Yugi sighed deeply, thanking whatever greater force had sent Kisa this way. She realized that her heart was beating way too fast. Her friend put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

The petite girl only shook her head in response, doubting her capacity to speak without stuttering in that moment.

"That guy, really." Growled Kisa, looking at their classmate walking away. "What's his problem?"

"Thank you Kisa."

"Hey, what are friends for? Actually, I'm glad I found you." She handed her the sheets of paper she was carrying. "Can you bring this to Kaiba? It's the assignment for next week. Just in case he decides to show up to class."

"Wouldn't you rather bring them yourself?"

"I can't. I have to help out at the store today, and he should get them asap."

"You know, someday you might want to start telling him you like him." Said Yugi smiling.

A slight blush appeared on her face but she smiled instead of hiding it. "It's not that I like him... I just can't seem to leave him be. He's shutting himself from everyone he meets. He shoulders so much already, I don't want him to feel alone. I'm sure deep down, he's an amazing person."

"Sounds like love to me." Muttered the shorter girl, giggling. She grabbed the sheets from her friend. "Count on me. I'll see you tomorrow Kisa!"

"See you! Oh and I promise I'll bring you back the puzzle as soon as I figure it out. So it might take a few months."

"Haha, alright."

* * *

"And... check mate." She said as she moved her Knight to block the last way out of her opponent's King.

"Tch. Darn it." Growled the tall brunet sitting across from her,before pushing his King down. "It's your win again, Yugi."

"You're getting better every time, Kaiba." She replied as she put the pawns back in their rightful place. "You gave me a tough time. I really thought I was going to loose this time. I had so much fun!"

Seto Kaiba observed the short girl in front of him. A year ago, it had been decided that despite being the head of the Kaiba Corporation and smarter than most adults, that he still had to attend high school at least until he turned eighteen. Whenever he did show up to class, which could vary from twice a week to once a month, he'd work on his computer in the back of the class or read to kill time until the day was over. It'd been a real pain in the ass. It still was but at least, his enrollment had allowed him to meet her. Kaiba had found her one day on the roof, while he was looking for a quiet place to work. While everyone was eating or playing outdoors, she was alone, piecing back together a particularly complicated brain teaser. He'd realized that she was clever. Very clever. So he'd approached her. And ever since, whenever he had time to kill between managing his company and taking care of his brother, he'd send out an invitation to challenge her. Beating her had become an objective just as important as keeping his company on top. And at the same time, it gave him a break from all his work. This time however, the game had only served to irritate him.

"If you're going to waste my time by being distracted the whole game, it's not a defeat I'm willing to accept. It's insulting to your opponent."

Yugi's smiled vanished. So he had noticed? Well he was Kaiba after all. Observing and learning were his sharpest skills. Looking down, she nervously bit her lip. "I'm sorry Kaiba."

"You've been like that a lot since the new school year started. Is something up with your grandfather? Or maybe it's the business at the game shop?"

"No! Nothing like that. You don't have to worry about it, really!" She insisted.

"I do if you're going to keep playing pathetically like this." Scolded the young billionaire crossing his arms on his chest.

"I'm...I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, do something about it." He snapped. "Because if you don't, I will."

Yugi couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face. This was Kaiba's nicest way of offering help. By hiding behind his pride. The short girl completely agreed with Kisa. He had a tendency to show his worst side to people and that brought him a lot of hate as a person. The only one he openly showed his caring side to was his younger brother. To people he didn't like, he showed only animosity and scorn. It was very rare for him to show kindness or even interest to other people his age. Yugi had been the first, and that was how he showed his appreciation.

"It's late." He said eying the clock. "You should stay here for the night."

"Thank you but I really should go home. Grandpa is waiting for me." Said Yugi, grateful for the invitation. "Oh and here before I forget. Kisa told me to give you this."

The CEO grabbed the papers she handed him and quickly scanned them. "Tch. I told her not to bother."

"Kisa just wants to make sure you don't miss anything."

"It's not like it matters if I graduate or not. It's an absolute waste of my time." He growled. "And next time, tell her to come herself so I can be clear about that."

Still, he folded the paper neatly and put it inside his coat pocket. Yugi refrained from showing her amusement in his contradictory speech and behavior. It seemed that the young president of Kaiba Corp didn't think it was a bother to see Kisa. Not that he'd ever admit it, prideful guy that he was. Kaiba walked her back to the front door because it seemed that even after coming here multiple times, Yugi still had a terrible sense of direction.

"You don't have to worry, really." Insisted Yugi. "The game shop isn't that far."

"You truly expect me to let you walk forty minutes at this hour? Forget it, I'm calling a cab and that's final. Don't worry about the fee, I'll take care of it."

"But you already paid for me last time..."

"It's either that or staying for the night. You choose."

The short girl felt bad about having him pay for a cab, but she had promised her Grandfather to come back this evening. But she didn't feel any better depending on him like that. Of course it wasn't any skin off his back, Kaiba had enough money to live nine times without ever needing to work. However, he wasn't giving her a choice and she knew just how stubborn he could be. There was nothing up for debate once he'd made up his mind. Yugi got pulled out of her thoughts when something suddenly slammed into her, nearly knocking her down and cutting off her breath. A black haired boy in his pajamas wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly.

"Yugi! It's been a while!"

"H-hi, Mokuba." Replied the girl with a chocked voice, as she had trouble regaining her breath. Despite that, she forced a smile to her face.

"Mokuba, be careful." Scolded his older brother. "And what are you doing up? You should be in bed by now."

"I couldn't sleep." Said the youngest Kaiba. "I heard you talking and I wanted to say hi to Yugi. Are you staying over?"

"No, sorry. I promised Grandpa I'd go home." She explained giving him an apologetic look.

"Again?" Complained Mokuba, pouting. "By the way, Seto, did you beat her this time?"

As proud as ever, the eldest Kaiba simply crossed his arm on his chest and declared. "Be sure that next time, victory goes to me."

"He was a lot closer than last time." Assured Yugi. "Your brother's progress is scary."

"Ha! I knew it!" Said the boy proudly, before taking a step back. "Prepare yourself Yugi! Because someday, my brother's gonna kick your butt!"

"Alright, that's enough late night chat for you. Mokuba go back to bed."

Without any attempt at negotiating, Mokuba hugged his big brother who affectionately patted him on the head and let one of his rare smiles show on his face. "Good night, Seto. Good night Yugi. Play with me too next time."

"Promise." She said, winking.

After the ten year old took off, the two teens made their way to the entrance door and then outside where Kaiba called a cab for his short rival. When she tried one more time to defend her case about being able to walk home, he shot her down again immediately using the arguments that she was five foot tall, a girl and didn't have any means of defense if something happened. The borderline insulting remarks of the young billionaire sufficed to keep her from trying to persuade him again. As they waited for the cab, she asked Kaiba if he'd show up at school anytime soon to which he replied that he'd see. The taxi arrived and the two classmates and rivals parted ways.

As the car drove away from the Kaiba mansion, Yugi looked out the window as rain started falling. They had to take a detour because of deviations and ended up driving through the not so safe boroughs of Domino City. She saw a couple of drunk people smoking in an alley, a little further two guys were fighting and even further, a prostitute was waiting to et picked up... The taxi stopped at a red light. Shivers travelled throughout her body and unconsciously, she wrapped her arms around herself. This place would make anyone feel uneasy. It was where gangs as well as other strange people gathered, and it was strongly suggested to stay away from here. Suddenly, a green trench coat and a mass of blond hair caught her attention. It was dark and raining, the street was only lit by a couple of old flickering street lights. However, Yugi's eyes couldn't be fooled. The figure descended down some stairs to what looked like the entrance of a bar.

"Joey?" She muttered to herself.

* * *

 **Please review if you liked it! ;)**


	2. Scattered treasure

That night, Yugi was unable to sleep peacefully. Tossing and turning in her bed, she couldn't get the image of the guy in the green trench coat. Why was Joey there? She'd heard in school sometime ago when she first met him earlier in the year, that he hung out a lot in that part of town. But what was he doing out at this hour? And what was that place he went to? Going over it in her mind again and again, Yugi still couldn't remember the name of the place they'd passed by. Maybe she'd been wrong and that person just happened to look like Joey. It was raining pretty hard after all, and there was condensation on the windows of the taxi. But that silhouette... it'd looked so familiar. That slightly slouched way of walking, head down looking at the ground. Sometimes, when Joey would arrive on time with everyone else, and she walked behind him, she'd noticed that about him without realizing. The whole reason she was watching him was to stay away after all. The girl with the tricolored hair sighed.

'Great. Now I can't sleep because of him.'

Despite her disturbing thoughts, she closed her eyes and attempted to welcome sleep again.

* * *

"Yugi. Yugi!"

"Huh? What?"

It took the game-brain a moment to realize that she hadn't been listening to her friend for a while as they were making their way to class.

"Finally." Let out Tea. "I've been calling out to you for like five minutes. What's up with you? Did you stay up all night playing games again? Hold on, were you with Kaiba all night?!"

Yugi tensed when her friend's words caught the attention of the people passing by. "Tea! Keep your voice down!"

"So you did?!"

"No!" Insisted the shorter girl, whispering. "I went home after we were done. Don't just say stuff like that in the hallway. People will get the wrong idea!"

Her brown haired friend brought her hand to her mouth, realizing and quickly apologized. The two girls kept walking towards their classroom where they saw a couple of students chatting. Thankfully, Joey was nowhere to be seen. After putting her bag on her desk, Yugi spotted a certain boy with pointy hair, nervously talking to another of their classmate called Miho Nosaka. Tristan Taylor wasn't in their class but he'd come here often during breaks because Miho was his crush of the year. And also he was friends with Joey. Occasionally, he'd actually help the bad boy tease Yugi by taking her stuff. But ever since Miho had reprimanded him, he'd stopped. Yugi hesitated before going to them.

"Hmm, excuse me?" She asked quietly getting their attention.

"Oh, hi Yugi." Replied Miho with a smile. "Need something?"

"I-I just want to ask something to Tristan. If you don't mind." She added, seeing him lift an eyebrow.

"Ok, I'll leave you two to it. Later Tristan."

The boy sighed loudly and rubbed the back of his head before turning to Yugi with an annoyed glare.

"Is... this a bad time?"

"Na, I just wanted to talk to Miho some more. What do you want?"

Well, wasn't that starting well? "Y-you're friends with Joey right?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Do you ever … you know... hang out with him outside of school?"

The brown haired boy seemed surprised and stared at her for a few seconds before frowning. "Why are you suddenly so interested?"

Feeling the slight connotation in his voice, Yugi suddenly had the feeling that she was about to step on a land mine. Besides, she wasn't exactly sure of what she wanted to ask. "N-nevermind, it's nothing. Just curiosity. I'll talk to you later."

Quickly, she whipped around and walked away to get back to her seat.

"Hey Yugi." Called out the boy, stopping her in her tracks. "Don't snoop in his business. You'll get nothing good out of it. And stay away from Hoshu."

His eyes were clearly warning her, but not in a threatening way. There was something heavy behind his words. After saying that, the pointy haired boy left the room. Hoshu. That was the name of the district that people were trying to avoid. And where she thought she'd seen Joey. Returning to her seat, Yugi tried once more to summon the image of her memory. Why was she so certain that it was him she'd seen? A hand gently grabbed her by the shoulder and she looked up to see her other best friend.

"Are you alright?" Asked Kisa worried by the bags under the eyes of the short girl. "You look even worse than yesterday."

"I couldn't sleep well last night. I was thinking too much."

"About another puzzle? I don't mind your obsession but you have to sleep sometime." Scolded the white haired girl. "Did you beat Kaiba at, what was it again, chess ?"

"Yeah, but it was really close this time." Yugi said smiling, happy to be given an opportunity to think about something else.

"You say that every time."

"But it's true every time! I don't know how he masters new strategies so fast. It takes everything I have to work my way around them. Oh and by the way, next time he wants you to bring his work."

"Really? Why?"

"To tell you in person that it's a waste of his time."

As usual, a small smile appeared on her face and she rolled her eyes before shaking her head. "What a complicated human being."

"Are you still trying to make him participate in the school festival?"

"I don't think he understands the difference between funding and participating."

"Ya really got yar work cut out for ya, don't ya class rep?" Said a new voice that sent shivers down Yugi's spine. Bag over his shoulder, Joey made his way down the alley of desks with that grin on his face. "That bastard Kaiba should pay you for every time ya bothered getting his stuff for him. Ya'd be as rich as him."

Ignoring the angry glare she threw him, the troublemaker turned to the seated girl. "So, how'd your date go shorty? Did ya play fetch or tug o' war ?"

"Don't you have anything better to do than act like a five-year old Joey?" Said Kisa, hands on her waist.

"Keep walking, Wheeler." Ordered Tea, getting up from her seat.

"Would d'ya look at that Yug? Ya got your own bodyguards. Ain't that cute."

The smile on his face faded when he saw her looking at him. Her attention was elsewhere than on his words. Yugi was looking at his left temple. There was a cut there, a nasty one. Not the kind you get from just scratching yourself. It looked like it needed stitching.

"What happened to your head?" She muttered loud enough for them to hear.

She expected him to brag about some fight he had or something similar, but instead he frowned and irritation marked his face. Tea and Kisa looked at each other, not sure why the loudmouth was suddenly so quiet. It's true that not a lot of people dared question Joey about his wounds. Especially since they assumed he got them while fighting with his gang. But that one just looked so bad... After a few moments of quiet, the blond brought his hand to Yugi's face and flicked her in between the eyes.

"Ow!" She let out, bringing her hands to her face. "What was that for?"

"Mind your own business, shrimp." He said. "Else things are gonna get ugly."

And with that he went to sit at his desk, leaving the three girls confused.

* * *

The day went by without Joey picking on her. Normally, that would've been an excellent day. But the last words he spoke to her and Tristan's wouldn't leave her. Looking out the window of her kitchen and chewing on a piece of chocolate, the girl with the tricolored hair sighed. Footsteps coming down the stairs pulled her out of her daze. Solomon Muto entered the kitchen, his happy old man smile on, like always.

"Hello my Yugi!" Exclaimed the old man, kissing her on the forehead. "How was your day? You look a bit gloomy."

"Same old, same old Grandpa." She replied smiling.

"I suppose you've already solved that wooden puzzle I gave you?"

"Yeah. I lent it to Kisa. She said she'll give it back when she's done solving it."

"Glad to hear it. I have a surprise for you."

Her face instantly lit up. "A new game?"

"And this one is pretty special! Come on."

The game-brain jumped out of her chair and followed the old man to the game shop. Solomon went behind the counter and grabbed something that he placed in front of her. Yugi's eyes widened and her mouth hung open as she contemplated the golden box, beautifully decorated with hieroglyphs. It was so pretty that she forgot to blink.

"It's beautiful!" She let out, her eyes shining with admiration. "Do you know what it says?"

Before becoming the humble owner of the game shop in Domino City, Solomon had been a brilliant archeologist that spent years in Egypt trying to discover hidden secrets of the era of pharaohs. Even now, he still spoke with passion of his discoveries there.

"It says that the one who will manage to put the millennium puzzle back together will be granted one wish."

"That's so cool! Wait, are you giving it to me?"

"That's right. If anyone can solve it, it's you."

Unable to contain her bliss any longer, the girl threw her arms around Solomon's neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much Grandpa! I promise, I'll take good care of it!"

"I know you will." Said her grandfather, smiling.

Nothing pleased the old man more than seeing his granddaughter this happy. Solomon wasn't ignorant to the fact that Yugi had been down lately. Ever since the new school year started, she'd come back home more than once with that gloomy look on her face or even eyes red from crying. He'd met her new friends, Tea Gardner and Kisa Yamato, as they came here often with Yugi. They seemed like very nice girls, both of them. So something else had been bothering his granddaughter.

"Yugi." He called her out as she already fidgeted with the puzzle pieces.

"Yes, Grandpa?"

"You'd tell me if anything was wrong wouldn't you?"

Her smile suddenly vanished, leaving a surprised look on her face. "Why do you suddenly ask something like that?"

"Is something up?" He asked, looking at her in the eyes.

Yugi thought for a minute before smiling again and answering. "No, of course not. It's just I haven't been sleeping too well lately because of my puzzles. But I'm fine. Really!"

Skepticism didn't leave the old man's mind, but he gave up knowing she wasn't going to let him on to anything. Nonetheless, he smiled. "Oh well. Just remember. I'm always here for you."

"I know. Thank you Grandpa."

* * *

It was so pretty. Yugi had spent hours just observing the golden box, inspecting every detail of it. The box itself was fascinating, like a treasure chest. The golden pieces were all shaped so differently, at first sight, anyone would think it was impossible to solve. But not her. The game-brain had gotten attached to her new puzzle the instant she'd laid eyes on it. Something told her that this was the ultimate challenge. When it came to puzzles at least. It was decided! She would solve it even if it took her a life time!

That morning, Yugi got up early to go to school and get a little time to herself in the classroom. Nothing put her in a better mood than working on the new game she'd fallen in love with. As expected, no one was here but the guardian who opened the gates and the doors. He greeted her with a toothless smile, and she waved back at him. He was used to seeing the short girl, it wasn't the first time she'd show up this early. Once she entered her classroom, she threw a quick glance around to make sure it was empty. Aside from a pile of forgotten coats on the edge of a window in the back, nothing seemed abnormal. So Yugi sat at her desk and took out the golden box. Again, she spent a couple of minutes just admiring the design, a big smile on her face. But as she was about to open it and lay out the pieces, a loud yawn nearly made her jump out of her skin.

"Well, so much for sleepin' in..." Said Joey, stretching and making the forgotten coats fall off of him.

Honestly, what had she done to deserve such bad luck? The blond boy got up and rubbed his eyes before seeing her.

"Hey short stuff. Didn't expect anyone to show up this early."

"H-hi." She said smiling nervously.

To her great discomfort, he walked towards her. She realized that his uniform was even more disheveled than usual and when he got closer, that he slightly smelled. "Wait, did you sleep here?"

Ignoring her question, his eyes focused on the golden box."What's that ya got here? Looks pretty fancy."

Yugi cursed her lack of reflexes when she was too late to keep him from grabbing her box and observing it. "Hey, be careful!" She said, rising from her seat. "It's a gift from my grandfather."

Paying no mind to her words, Joey opened the box and grabbed some of the pieces, making her wince. She expected to mock her like always, but for a moment he seemed as fascinated as her by the golden treasure. That didn't last long though.

"C-can I have it back now please?" She asked.

"Sure, take it." He said putting the pieces back and presenting it to her.

She sighed and smiled in relief, thinking he at least understood her attachment to it. But just as she was going to seize it, he pulled it up out of her reach.

"Joey!"

"I said ya could take it." He replied. "But you're gonna have to put a little effort into it, Yug."

"Give it back!" She protested jumping to try and reach for her treasure. But being that much taller than her, she wasn't going to succeed anytime soon.

"Come on, is that all ya've got? Why don't ya try punching me?"

"What?"

"You want your puzzle back, don't ya?" He taunted. "Just reaching for it ain't gonna help much short stuff. I promise I won't dodge. Come on."

And here they were again. He was trying to get her to play his game. She stopped trying to grab the box. This time the girl frowned at him and shouted, thinking of what her friends would say. "I don't want to fight with you! Why are you always picking on me? What did I ever do to you?"

His grin suddenly disappeared and he dropped the golden box on the floor, the pieces scattering everywhere. The girl gasped in shock and she intended to quickly collect the pieces, when he grabbed her arm and pulled it up so hard that she had to stand on her tip toes to stay in contact with the ground. She winced in pain as he strongly was gripping her wrist.

"Ow! What are you..."

"I'm doin' you a favor, shrimp." He said. "This ain't bullyin'. The world's a pretty tough place and ya won't always have people to watch your back while ya play with your little games."

"That hurts!" She cried out, trying to free herself.

"Yeah? What'ya gonna do about it Yug?"

"Let go..."

"Sure, if ya punch me."

"I-I don't want to fight." Her voice was starting to shake and her eyes watered because of the pain in her arm.

However her refusal didn't seem to help calming the bad boy down at all. Joey released her and she rubbed her aching arm. But she didn't get the time to evaluate the extent of the damage. He suddenly shoved her brutally back and she had to grab on to a desk to keep herself from falling. When she looked up at him again, his eyes were burning with anger which both confused and scared her.

"Guess ya need help getting' it through that thick head of yours." He shoved her again, stronger this time and pushing her back even further. "Ya want to live in peace? Then defend yourself!"

Yet again, he shoved her. And again and again, every time giving her the time to regain her balance before pushing again. Frustration rose inside him and he bit his lip in anger before shoving her again, harder. This time she fell flat on her butt and when she looked back at him, her eyes were struck with fear. As he approached closer, she scurried away until her back hit the wall. The door was so far away now, she couldn't escape even if she tried to. The blond boy stopped a step away from her. He observed her, his brown eyes throwing daggers at her. Why? Why was he so angry at her? What had she done wrong? Slowly, he raised his fist. Yugi let a scared whimper escape her mouth before shutting her eyes and bringing her arms up to protect herself.

 _She was crying. He'd pushed her into a corner, so that she'd have no other choice but to fight back. But no. She was huddled in fetal position. And despite that she still wouldn't fight? That idiot!_

"Tch. Ya really are pathetic."

With those words, he turned away and walked out of the classroom, shutting the door behind him. For God knows how long, Yugi stayed there alone, not moving from her cocoon position. Only when she was certain that he was gone, did she open her eyes. She looked down to see her puzzle pieces on the floor. Slowly she moved, staying on all four to collect them. Once she was sure she got everything, she stayed on her knees and looked at her box. The contact with the cold metal showed her that her hands were shaking, and suddenly, two tears dripped down on it. Unable to hold it in, the dam broke. Holding her treasure close to her chest, Yugi started sobbing. Out of fear, confusion or even frustration, she couldn't tell. But there was something heavy in her heart and it hurt.

* * *

"I didn't believe my eyes when I saw you." Said the white haired girl, smiling at the boy next to her. "Do you plan on following any classes today?"

"Like I said before." Replied the young billionaire. "Being here is an absolute waste of my time."

"So basically, you're here to get a break from work." She laughed a little, earning herself an eye-roll from him. "I understand that things are boring for you, but you really should try to get closer to the rest of the class."

"What so that I can catch Wheeler's stupidity? No thanks."

They arrived in front of their class and the class rep slid open the door. "Anyways, sorry about last time. I couldn't... Yugi?!"

Both teens froze when they saw the petite girl curled up on the floor in the back of the class. When she heard her name, Yugi looked up, exposing her red eyes.

"Kisa...Kaiba..."

Dropping everything she was holding, the white haired girl rushed to her friend's side quickly followed by Seto. Kisa grabbed Yugi by the shoulders.

"What happened Yugi? Are you alright?"

Instead of replying, the girl with the tricolor hair hugged her golden box tighter and just shook her head as her eyes watered again. Knowing that her friend wasn't going to reply until she calmed down, Kisa looked at the clock. Twenty minutes to eight. Students were starting to arrive. If they saw Yugi like this, their classmates were sure to ask questions and start rumors. This was high school after all. Before she could think of anything, Kaiba spoke.

"Take her to the infirmary. I'll find something to say to the teacher."

"But I'm the class rep. I have duties..."

"I'll take care of it with Gardner. Just go."

Kisa nodded before helping Yugi to her feet and helping her out of the classroom.


	3. Suspension

**Hey guys! If you've made it this far, I guess I caught your attention! ;) Please don't forget to leave me your thoughts if you enjoy it or if you have anything to say about it!**

* * *

The infirmary was empty when the two girls walked in. By then, Yugi had stopped sobbing, but still sniffled and wiped the corner of her eyes. Taking advantage of the fact that the nurse wasn't here, the two friends sat on one of the beds and the white haired girl waited a moment more to give Yugi a chance to settle down while gently rubbing her back.

"Yugi talk to me." Pleaded Kisa, after a few minutes. She couldn't do anything if her friend wouldn't say anything. "What happened?"

The girl with the tricolored hair opened her mouth a couple of times to speak, but nothing came out and every time she failed, she felt like crying again. Finally, she managed to push out those words. "It's... not that serious..."

"It was Joey again, wasn't it?"

Yugi nodded, but still said nothing.

"That good for nothing jerk-face!" Growled Kisa, who ordinarily was the calmest and most clement person in the world. Rising from her seat, she grabbed her friend's wrist an pulled her up. "That's it! We're going to the principal's office. Come on."

"W-wait Kisa!" Exclaimed Yugi, holding her back. "He didn't actually hurt me. Don't overreact."

"Overreact?! Yugi, for goodness sake! He's been bullying you ever since you met him! You can't keep letting him mess with you like that!"

"But he hasn't hurt me..."

"Oh really?" Skeptically said Kisa crossing her arms on her chest. "You're gonna tell me that he never got physical with you? The other day, he had you by the collar! And don't you dare lie to me about what happened this morning."

"He just... pushed me, a little. Nothing more."

"Yeah, that's why you were on your knees crying alone in the classroom."

"Kisa, please. Don't." Begged the short girl, as her hands started shaking. "I don't want to make a big deal out of this. I... I can't handle it..."

Kisa Yamato was a kind person. She cared for everyone like a real mother and always understood people very easily. Even those with iron hard shells like Kaiba or shy as hell like Yugi. Something bitter pinched her heart when she looked at her friend. There was one thing about Yugi that Kisa, Tea and unbeknownst to them, Kaiba as well, hated about her. She was a coward. They couldn't really blame her for her lack of confidence, shyness and low self-esteem. That had come naturally with her size complex and generous heart. But she always let her fear guide her to the point of sacrificing her own well-being. Although in this case, her fear was warranted. The principal would probably require proof that Joey was bullying her, and Yugi had a distinct lack of injuries. Psychological harassment was difficult to prove.

"Alright fine. But from now on, you stick with me, Tea or Kaiba when we're at school. You got it?"

"Okay. Thank you Kisa."

The white haired girl sighed again. She really didn't like the idea of letting Joey off the hook so easily, but as long as they could somehow make sure that he didn't come close to Yugi, then for the time being it would have to do. Her eyes landed on the golden box.

"What is that thing?"

"Hm? Oh, it's a gift from Grandpa." Said Yugi, her face brightening instantly. "It's a really old artifact called the Millennium Puzzle. It says that the one who can put it back together can make a wish. Grandpa said it's from ancient Egypt."

"Then you must really like it."

"Yep. It's my new treasure." She assured.

"What are you going to wish for?"

"I don't know yet. But it'll be something big."

"Well, I'm going back to class. You stay here and catch up the sleep I know you lost over that new game. At least until lunch break."

"What? But I'm fine..."

Yugi shut her mouth when she saw the clearly displeased glare her friend was throwing her. After a few long minutes of arguing, she managed to bargain to stay here only for the first two periods. It was still half the morning wasted but she couldn't deny that she needed sleep. Kisa finally left to go back to class and Yugi lied down on one of the infirmary's beds, hugging the golden box close to her heart. She would've surprised herself at how fast she fell asleep. Then again, she was rarely in a mood that made her uninterested in her games.

* * *

The negotiation with Kisa turned out to be pointless in the end. When Yugi woke up, it was the middle of lunch break. The shorty sighed thinking her friend was probably doing a victory dance somewhere. Sitting up, she placed her box on her knees. Though her eyes were on her treasure, her mind was elsewhere.

" _I'm doin' you a favor, shrimp. This ain't bullyin'. The world's a pretty tough place and ya won't always have people to watch your back while ya play with your little games."_

Truth be told, Joey wasn't the first one she'd had trouble with. Before meeting Kisa and Tea, Yugi's obsession with games had often made her an outcast and an easy target for bullies. But it was so different with him. Unlike the others who just liked when she took the abuse quietly, he got angry at her that she didn't fight back. Why? She couldn't understand him. Maybe he just wanted someone to fight with. But why someone like her? She was anything but a challenge. What would he get out of beating the crap out of her? She sighed. Overthinking after waking up was not good for the brain.

'I better hurry if I want to have time to eat before afternoon classes.'

After stretching, she got up and picked up her golden box. But as she was about to pull away the curtain, heavy footsteps entered the infirmary.

"Yugi!" Said a booming voice that she recognized instantly. "I know you're in here."

'Oh no.' Ushio was a senior that liked to proclaim himself protector of the weak. And by that, he meant that he made the weak looking students (like herself) pay him for his bodyguard services. To the point of being borderline harassing them himself. Though he really had nothing going for him except a massive built. Tea and Kisa were pretty good at telling him off, but the guy was persistent. She heard his footsteps head towards her, so she quickly retreated to the far end of the resting area and dived under the last bed. Which was the only place someone could actually hide under, it was ridiculous. But she still prayed that the gorilla was stupid enough to overlook it. But as she saw his feet getting closer, she realized that she was mistaken. Today was not her lucky day and she really wasn't in the mood to deal with him.

"It's no point hiding Yugi. Come on, I just want to talk."

His feet suddenly stopped and the curtain of the last bed was pulled open. "Great Gatsby, shut up! Can't you see some of us are trying to rest, you knob-head?"

The voice was coming from someone who seemed to have been resting on the bed above. It was definitely a boy with a gruff voice and a British accent. He must've come here while she was sleeping.

"Sorry, my bad. I was looking for a girl. Have you seen her?"

"Are your eyes just here for decoration? I'm the only one here, you idiot. So bugger off."

"Who'd you think you're talking to like that, you limey..."

The guy on the bed was suddenly on his feet and from the footwork she could see, he'd grabbed Ushio by the collar and was all up in his face. They weren't going to fight in here, were they?

"Trust me. You don't want to pick a fight with me." Growled the mystery guy with a deep voice that sent shivers down Yugi's spine. "I can and will break your kneecaps if you keep getting on my nerves. Get lost!"

Next thing she knew, Ushio was quickly making his way out of the infirmary. But Yugi was too surprised to even sighed in relief. That was strange. Ushio was a gorilla and a brute, there weren't many who could scare him with just a verbal threat. But there was an uncomfortable aura in the air, slowly dissipating. The mystery guy sighed before sitting back on the bed.

"You can come out now." He said, irritation still very present in his voice.

The girl with the tricolored hair crawled out of her hiding place and stood back up, facing the boy. He looked about her age and was wearing the school uniform in the same manner that Joey would. Unlike Kisa's flowing mane, his long white hair was messy and no way near as white as hers. He was frowning and rubbing his head like he was in pain.

"A-are you feeling alright? You look kind of pale..."

"I always look like that." He growled, before looking at her. "It's just that bloody headache."

"Thank you for helping me, hum... I'm sorry, I've never seen you before. What's your name?"

"Bakura. Ryo Bakura."

She smiled. "Nice to meet you, Bakura. I'm Yugi Muto. And thank you again."

"Look, if you want to thank me then get out of here." He said lying back down and turning his back to her. "I'm trying to rest."

"O-Okay. See you."

Really this guy was not in the mood for a pleasant conversation. But still grateful for his intervention, she decided to let him be. Picking up her puzzle box from the floor, she exited the infirmary and made her way to the classroom to recover her school bag. But when she arrived in the hallway leading to it, she was surprised to find a crowd of students blocking the way. Approaching, she knew that her size wouldn't allow her to see above her classmates. While making her way the best she could in the crowd, she recognized the voices.

"Don't you have better things to do with your life than to pick on a helpless girl half your size that never did anything to you?" Reproached Kisa's voice, calm yet full of anger.

"I don't see how that's any of your business, class rep."

"Of course it's my business! That's my friend we're talking about!"

"And ya think ya'll always be around to babysit her?"

"What is that suppose to mean?" Shouted Tea this time. "If you want to fight so badly, why don't you go to Hoshu? You don't need her for that!"

"Watch your mouth Gardner. It don't take long before I stop bein' nice."

'Oh no.'

Yugi made her way to the center as fast as she could, until she finally pulled through. Kisa and Tea were facing Joey who seemed just as angry at them as they were at him, filling the air with a heavy aura of negativity and tension. Tristan was here too, though it looked like he was trying to calm down his friend.

"Listen man, just let it go..."

"Shut up, Tristan. This ain't yar business either." Snapped back the blond before turning back to Kisa. "I'm sayin' this one last time, class rep. Get off my back!"

With that, he started walking away, but Kisa grabbed his arm firmly and stopped him. "We're not done here!"

Turning back to her, he threw her a death glare. "Ya really want to do this the hard way?"

"Kisa, don't!" Shouted the short girl about to spring forward.

But she froze in her track when a certain tall brunet stepped out of the classroom, a hand in his pocket. Kaiba seemed even more irritated than usual. If Yugi had to take a guess, it was because of the noise keeping him from working. Little did she know how wrong she was. Instead of telling everyone to shut up like he would've done in any other given situation, the young CEO slowly made his way to stand by Kisa's side and threw a condescending glare to the shorter blond.

"Oh good, it's the mutt. Barking uselessly as usual, I see."

"Well, if it ain't the president of Kaiba Corp?" Replied Joey grinning at him. "Not enough comfort for ya, yar highness?"

"Anyone getting a break from your yapping would experience luxury, Wheeler." Retorted the billionaire, before smirking. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot being quiet was beyond the capacities of your tiny brain."

Joey's grin disappeared and his angry face returned. "Yeah? At least I ain't got a stick so far up my ass that it gave me a God complex."

"You don't even know what a God complex is, you blabbering idiot. If you did, you'd know that no one needs one to feel superior to you. For your own sake, you should really stop acting like a criminal and start working for your worth. Oh wait. You don't have any."

"Oh that's rich coming from you, moneybags. Not all of us were born with a golden spoon in our mouths."

Kaiba just snickered and rolled his eyes. "And here comes the guilt card. Save it, Wheeler. I worked to get everything I have. People like you who do nothing but whine about their life conditions without doing anything about it are parasites on society. I have less than no pity to give to someone like you."

"Like I need anythin' from ya, ya jerk! Ya wouldn't catch me dead begging ya for something!"

The CEO crossed his arms on his chest. "And that's why you'll end up in jail in about five years with bills coming out of your ass because of a gambling addiction doubled with a drinking habit. Face it. That's where lowlives like you are headed. Straight. into. a. wall."

Joey paused for a second, taking in Kaiba's words. Yugi was paralyzed in shock at how cruel his words were. She knew Kaiba wasn't subtle and never sacrificed truth for delicacy. But this... he was straight up humiliating and insulting him. And provoking the already jumpy guy was the worst move possible. What was he thinking? Joey's eyes darkened with hate and rage and he grabbed the young CEO by the collar.

"Ya pickin' a fight with me, rich boy? I'm warnin' ya Kaiba, no amount of cash is gonna save yar face from my fist."

"Please, all you're good for is barking."

"Why ya son of a..."

"Woof, woof."

That was the final straw. The next thing everyone knew, Joey punched the young billionaire at full strength in the face. The hallway gasped, as Kaiba was thrown back and his back hitting the wall behind him. He held his nose and few drops of red liquid fell on the ground.

"Kaiba!" Exclaimed Yugi.

But it didn't look like Joey was done with him, as he took a step forward to beat the brunet to a bloody pulp. Thankfully, Tristan hooked his arms under his and held him back as best he could as the blond was struggling to get free and go pummel the one who'd insulted him.

"Joey, you gotta calm down, man! You'll get in serious trouble!"

"Get the hell off of me, Tristan!" Snapped the enraged teen. "I'm gonna murder that bastard!"

Quick footsteps suddenly approached and the crowd made way for Tea, who the short girl hadn't seen leave, followed by someone else. "Here, Mr Tory!"

"What in the world is going on here?" Shouted the man. The sturdy looking man eyed the scene in front of him. One student was against the wall with a bleeding nose, while another was being held back. The history teacher crossed his arms on his chest and frowned at the culprit. "Joseph Wheeler, you again? I should've known. You've gone too far this time. You're coming with me."

"What?" Protested the blond. "He was asking for it!"

"It's true Mr Tory. Kaiba provoked him." Defended Tristan, before looking around, his eyes asking for support of the witnesses. "Right?"

Yugi expected people to react, but to her shock, no one did. Not even her friends. Kisa just looked away and Tea crossed her arms on her chest and stood her ground throwing an angry look at Joey. The short girl was stunned. She half expected the people around to stay quiet because they didn't want to get involved. But Kisa and Tea? Her friends were good people. Honest, true to themselves, generous, just... So why were they keeping quiet? Getting no support from anyone in the room, Tristan looked distraught. Meanwhile, Joey only stared at the ground. The rage seemed to have vanished. His arms and head hanging low, he had the face of a prisoner on his way to be executed. Anger was still burning in his eyes though.

"Are you serious? All of you?!" Shouted the pointy haired fellow.

"Let it go, pal." Said the blond with a low, defeated voice. "It's not like it was ever going to turn out any other way."

"Even if it's true, that doesn't excuse the fact that he punched him." Said Mr Tory. "Follow me Wheeler. You too Kaiba."

This time Kisa reacted. "Hold on Sir, Kaiba needs to go to the infirmary first."

"Leave it." Said the young CEO standing back up as if nothing had happened. "This is nothing."

The teacher turned heels and Joey followed first in his zombie-like state. Yugi couldn't help but look at his eyes. They almost looked... empty, sad. When Kaiba passed by, she was surprised to see him smirk discreetly while following after the blond. After that the people in the hallway scattered. She was pulled out of her daze when Tea grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the empty classroom.

"Come on Yugi. You have to eat before class starts again."

Afternoon classes went by pretty smoothly, but Yugi couldn't help but feel uneasy. The scene from earlier was replaying in her mind. Something wasn't right about all of this. Her friends had acted weird. Kaiba had acted weird. It preoccupied her so much that she barely paid any attention the rest of the day. When the last bell finally rang, their homeroom teacher told them to stay seated for a moment.

"Before you leave, I have an announcement to make." Said the woman, taking off her glasses. "Mr Wheeler will be absent for the next month for reasons I'm sure you're all aware of. That's all. You may leave."

Suspended for a month? Joey was known for collecting detention hours for his tardiness and even insolence with the teachers but a whole month of suspension? Something wasn't right with this story... Before he could walk out of the class, Yugi grabbed Kaiba's wrist.

"Can we talk?" She asked.

"What is it?"

"Let's wait for everyone to leave."

Once everyone gone, and only the four of them remained Yugi turned to face her rival and her best friends. The three of them were looking at her curiously. The tricolor-haired girl wasn't comfortable with having so many eyes on her but she needed some answers. Taking a deep breath she turned to the young billionaire.

"Kaiba, you're a black belt in three different martial arts disciplines. You could've avoided that punch easily, so why didn't you?"

"That's a stupid question." He replied without hesitation. "Because I was trying to get that looser to hit me."

Kisa and Tea looking away answered the rest of her questions. "Did you guys plan this from the beginning to get Joey suspended?"

"No!" Protested Kisa. "That's not what happened... I just wanted to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen..."

"I told you I'd take care of the problem if you didn't and I did." Interrupted Kaiba before grabbing his bag and making his way to the door. "Now you can stop worrying about useless things and focus on our next match. That yapping mutt should be grateful that it only got him suspended. No one screws with my rival. Be sure that if it happens again, I won't hesitate to get him expelled for good."

Without giving her the time to add another word, the CEO of Kaiba Corp stepped out and slammed the door behind him.

"I don't understand the problem Yugi." Said Tea. "That guy is finally gonna leave you alone. Aren't you happy?"

"You shouldn't have lied..."

"We didn't lie."

"Not telling is the same as lying." Said Kisa, to Tea's surprise. "But we did it for you. You weren't going to do anything about it and you know it. I'm sorry but it was only thing I could think of."

Tea sighed before throwing an annoyed glare at her short friend. "Besides who are you to judge? You were there but you didn't speak up either."

That last comment made the petite girl shut her lips tight and look down. Getting her friends mad at her hadn't been her intention and her cheeks reddened with shame. Tea walked passed her quickly and left without another word, while Kisa, ever the gentle soul, put a comforting hand on her shoulder before following Tea.

* * *

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	4. Thieves

**Hi guys! I don't know why, but I'm really fast with this story! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Bakura wasn't at peace. For the past fews days, his migraines had gotten worse, longer and more painful. Pain killers weren't of any use. The ring was using too much energy. And school had ended a couple of hours ago. Ever since _he_ had sent him to this City, he'd done nothing but search for the missing items. The ring was suppose to be a bloody radar, so why was it constantly pointing him in different directions? The result was that cursed headache. Finding that the wind and fresh air was the only thing that helped him relax a bit, he'd come to the roof to try and sleep a little. He'd almost succeeded when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Speaking of pains in the ass." He growled pressing the answer button. "What is it now?"

" _Any progress?"_

"If there was, do you seriously think I'd still be here? I don't even know what the bloody hell I'm looking for! So unless you have something to add..."

" _Actually I do."_ Interrupted the voice on the other side of the line. _"First off, we finally found the rod. Second, does the name Maximillion Pegasus mean something to you?"_

"The president of Industrial Illusions? What does he have to do with any of this?"

" _According to my sources, he knows more about the items than it seems. Why don't you go check on that? It'll give you something to do."_

"Tch. Fine. Anything's better than hanging out here all day."

With that he ended the call. So, that idiot had found another item? Counting his own, that left only four to find. And if the ring was acting up so strongly in this City, it might be because there was more than one around. He supposed that in itself was good news. They were close. So darn close. After that, all they had to do was find one way to... His thoughts were interrupted when the door of the roof opened. The short girl from the infirmary appeared, a depressing look on her face. Without paying attention, she sat on the ground and sighed before taking a Rubik's cube out of her bag. Banally, she solved it, before undoing it and beginning again. She repeated the cycle multiple times as her eyes were staring into nothingness. Very quickly, the clicking noise of the cube became insufferable.

"For the love of...would you bloody stop that?!" He shouted, making her jump.

"Bakura! I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were here." She said quickly putting the cube away. "A-are you feeling any better?"

He sighed and rubbed his head, sitting up."What's it to you, short stuff? It's not like you give a damn."

She looked sad and gazed at her feet. "Don't call me that."

"It's a fact, get over it. Don't like being a half pint?" He said, grinning at the complexed girl who instead of getting angry like he'd hoped, only lowered her head more and remained quiet. "Well you're a buzz kill."

"I heard that a lot today."

He only humphed in response. His headache wasn't going away and trying to sleep wasn't helping, so he tried thinking of another way to distract himself. But as he was thinking of going back to the infirmary, the ring under his shirt suddenly started warming up. Before he could think what the hell, a new wave of pain assailed his head. Bringing both hands to his skull, her grunted, making Yugi jump.

"Bakura, what's wrong?!"

"Bloody... headache... It's killing me! Agh!"

He writhed in pain some more and she quickly approached to put her hand on his forehead.

"No fever. Hold on," she said, quickly opening her bag. "I have painkillers."

Before he could tell her off, something else entirely caught his eye in the short girl's bag. A golden box that mysteriously resembled his own artifact. Yugi caught his attention again when she triumphantly pulled out a white pill out of her bag.

"Found it! Here take it." She said giving it to him. "You know, if your head hurts this much, maybe you should go to the hospital."

"Forget it."

"But it could be very serious!" She insisted.

"Look, I know exactly why my head hurts, it's not serious just annoying." He growled back. "So just let it go, half-pint!"

Saying that, he frustratingly extended a leg and knocked down her bag. The lid of of the box opened and strangely shaped golden pieces fell out. The girl gasped and quickly picked them up, while he remained there frozen for a moment. It was here, right under his nose. He knelt down and picked up a few. No doubt about it.

"Sorry." He said, as he helped picked up the rest.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have pushed the matter like..."

Interrupting her sentence, it was her turn to freeze when she looked at the pieces she'd just put back in the box. After quickly searching through them, her face got horror struck.

"I'm sorry, I have to go."

Shutting her box and her bag, Yugi dashed back inside, leaving a still under shock Bakura behind. So much that he hadn't even realized that his head had stopped hurting. Then a nasty grin stretched out across his face. "Well, well... you turned out more interesting than I thought Yugi Muto."

* * *

The short girl slammed open the door of the classroom. It was empty, but even if it had been full, it wouldn't have stopped her from searching the ground of the room on all for. Under the desks, in every corner, even in the trash... It wasn't here. She couldn't find it. Where was it? The eye of Horus was the biggest piece of the puzzle, why was it that one that she lost? How could she have lost it? She had it this morning, she was sure of it. There was no cleaning duty today, so it couldn't have been taken out. Her eyes watered and she covered her face in panic. How could she have lost a piece like that so soon? An image flashed in her mind of what had happened in the morning.

"Joey..."

He was her only chance. She never thought she'd think this, but she would give anything to be sure that it was him who'd taken it. She had to see him, now! But she didn't know where he lived, and Tristan and most of the students were gone already. Her eyes fell on Kisa's desk. She knew the class representative had the list of addresses of the students homes to send the invitations for the school festival. Thank heaven, Yugi found it in her desk.

"Wess... West..." She muttered as the names followed. "Wheeler! Mr Hank Wheeler... in Hoshu."

A twinge of unease pinched her insides and the short girl gazed out the window. Night would fall in a few hours or so. She had to hurry and get there before dark. Even during the day, Hoshu wasn't safe. Reflexively she reached for her cell to call Kisa or Tea before remembering that one was occupied and the latter, mad at her. But she couldn't wait. She wanted it back. She needed it back. And so Yugi grabbed her bag and took a bus for Hoshu, looking up the map on her phone. The instant she stepped out of the vehicle, the hair on her neck rose and goosebumps appeared all over her skin. The people she came across looked at her curiously. She was still in school uniform and the schools here didn't have any, so she was standing out. Avoiding eye contact, she quickly made her way to the compound where the Wheelers resided.

"Second floor, apartment 26."

Yugi made her way up the outdoor stairs and walked all the way to the last door. She was surprised to find it slightly open. There was TV noise inside and a smell of unwashed laundry escaped the apartment. But there was definitely someone inside. She hesitated before deciding it was better to ring the doorbell. A few seconds of silence went by.

CRASH

The tricolor-haired girl nearly jumped out of her skin and backed away until she hit the railing. Something had been tossed and shattered against the door on the other side. Probably a glass bottle.

"Where the hell have you been, you little shit?!" Shouted a masculine voice. "Do you have any idea what time it is? What about my booze? I swear if you forgot it again, I'm gonna wring your neck, you worthless bastard!"

The heavy footsteps quickly approaching, Yugi didn't have to think twice about it and bolted. Nearly breaking her neck while descending the stairs, she didn't slow down and ran away until she was certain she was far enough. Stopping to regain her breath in an empty alley, she panted quickly waiting for her heart to slow down. Was that... Joey's father? Then, the wounds he came with at school weren't from fighting? She remembered the cut on his temple the other day. That had clearly been made with a knife. Shivers travelled down her spine and she brought her hands to her mouth as the mental image of a father cutting his own son made her sick.

Suddenly a strange wind like noise made her look at the ground in front of her. Strangely, it was slowly pooling, almost like it was turning to water. Rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn't dreaming, she opened them again only to find that a human figure emerging from it, making her gawk. The man in front of her was clearly not from around here. The dark color of his skin gave him a middle-eastern look. He wore white robes and a matching turban on his head, as well as thick golden earrings. Yugi forgot to breath, too stunned. This man not only just popped out of the ground, he looked like he could belong to ancient times. That's when she realized that he was holding golden scales in his hand and a big golden key around his neck. These objects seemed as old as her puzzle. When she looked up again, she realized that he was looking at her, his hypnotic gaze piercing right through her.

"Who are you?" She asked, almost compulsively.

"I have finally found you." He said with a beautiful husky voice but his face never showing a single emotion. "Though I must admit, I did not expect the thief who stole my item to look so small and frail."

"Th-thief?" She repeated, still unable to stop staring. But her insides tightened. "I didn't steal anything!"

"It is knowledge as old as man kind that thieves are also liars." He replied, mercilessly. "However, it is my duty, as Judge and Guardian, to give a fair trial to all. Even the likes of you."

"But I didn't steal anything." She repeated. "You have the wrong person!"

"You cannot lie to me, little one. I can sense the power of the millennium items, and you are surrounded by it's dark power."

Wait. Millennium? "Are you talking about my puzzle?"

"Enough. It is time for your trial." He said raising a hand.

Her first reflex would've been to run away, but she'd barely taken a step back when her feet suddenly became stuck to the ground. Then, the straps of her own back pack suddenly wrapped around her like binds and restrained her arms. What was happening? These things were impossible! It was like magic. But the more she struggled, the tighter they became until it was hard to breath at all. The man extended a hand approaching the scales from her face, and deposed a feather on one side.

"The trial has begun. I will now ask you four questions. If you're answer is truthful, the feather of truth will be heavier."

"W-what happens if I answer wrong?"

He ignored her and proceeded with the interrogation. "A child has fallen down a well. At your feet is a golden ring the child wore. What do you do?"

What would she do? The answer was obvious. "Save the child."

The scales remained immobile and so the man continued, unfazed. "A stranger asks for money to pay for the medicine that he can't afford. You don't know if he's lying or not. What do you do?"

"I give it to them." She replied, less and less sure of herself.

Again, the scales didn't move. Yugi couldn't shake the feeling that if she failed, something worse than death was waiting for her. The questions were simple and the answers obvious, but the endgame was important and costly. And so she shook, praying that there was no trick.

"A person you love and a stranger are dying. You only have one antidote. Who do you give it to?"

The petite girl suddenly imagined her beloved grandfather dying in a hospital bed, next to a faceless person. What would she do if this situation occurred? Surely she'd want to save her grandpa. But the other person, though faceless to her, was not faceless to everyone. They two had a family, people that loved them... It felt like she'd been quiet for an eternity.

"I... I... don't know." She whispered, her horrified eyes on the ground.

The scales tilted on the side of the feather. A look of surprise finally appeared on the man's face. "How can a thief have such a truthful and honest heart?"

"I'm not a thief!" She insisted again. "The puzzle was a gift from my grandfather."

"Even stranger. Perhaps... I must ascertain myself first." This time he grabbed the golden key around his neck and touched her forehead with the tip. "With this, I shall explore the deepest corners of your soul."

The moment the object made contact with her skin, everything went blank. For a moment, she felt like she was floating in darkness and emptiness. Then, she felt it. Something big was moving near her. She couldn't see it but she could hear it's breath and growls. It came closer and closer. She was about to scream, but moments later, she was back in the alley. The only difference was that night had fallen. It had felt like seconds to her. And the man in front of her seemed to have regained his stoic face.

"I see now, you are the one."

"What?"

"Fate does things well, for the puzzle found itself in the right hands like this."

The girl was more confused than ever. "I don't understand..."

"What is your name, little one?"

"Y-Yugi."

The man then snapped his fingers, and the bindings disappeared as well as whatever force was preventing her from moving her feet. "I am Shadi. The item has found it's rightful place. Fulfill your destiny and achieve what you are meant to achieve. Your true trial has yet to begin."

His words were scary now. Everything he was saying put an immense pressure on her chest, so much that it was painful. Unable to answer, and afraid of what was coming next, the tricolor-haired girl whipped around and dashed away as fast as she could.

Shadi looked at her run away, his expressionless face hiding a storm of emotions inside. So this was the pure heart that was going to shake the very fabric of the world of shadows? Truly, she was not impressive but perhaps that was what made her perfect to hold the darkest of powers. The forces had spoken and chosen her, all he could do now was be a witness.

"May fate be kind to you, Yugi."

The Judge and Guardian of the items turned around to step back into the portal. He had a lot of work left to do after all. But as he was about to summon the gate, he found someone standing in front of him. "Hello Guardian. It's been a long time."

"Thief King. I would recognize that foul aura anywhere." Muttered Shadi narrowing his eyes. "So you have awakened to come after the puzzle. It was careless of me to disregard your implication in the rising darkness. I will not let you have your ways."

"Oh don't worry, Shadi. I have no intention whatsoever of doing anything to her. You've done me a favor in identifying her as the pure heart. Now all I have to do is wait for the right time. Thanks for the help, really. So be at ease, I have no interest in her yet. You, on the other hand, have somethings that I want."

"Take them by force if you dare." Said the guardian of the items, raising a hand.

A nasty grin appeared on the face of the newcomer, who pulled open his jacket revealing the golden ring around his neck.

"I'll do my best to make this entertaining. After all, this is your final battle, Guardian!" Shouted the white haired young man before his ring shun with energy.

* * *

Yugi slammed the door of the game shop close, before leaning on it and for the second time today, waited for her heart to slow down. Meanwhile, her head tried to make sense of what had happened. Who was that man? What were those things she'd seen? She must have dreamed all of that. Skeptical, she looked at the straps of her back pack. They were normal.

"Yugi!"

She looked up and saw her grandfather coming at her from the kitchen. His face was marked with anger and worry. "Where in the world were you? Do you have any idea what time it is? I was worried sick! Why didn't you pick up your phone?" Shouted Solomon. "I was this close to calling the police!"

Pulling her phone out of her pocket, the girl saw that she had twenty six missed calls. She hadn't even heard it ring once in the whole ordeal. "I'm so sorry Grandpa. I was... I was..."

"Well, speak!"

She couldn't tell him she was in Hoshu, especially not at this hour. The poor man would have a heart attack. That's when she remembered why she went there in the first place. In the end, she never got to meet Joey or find what she was looking for.

"I was at school. I lost it, Grandpa." She said as misery shaded her face. "I lost a piece of my puzzle."

Solomon was old but not an idiot. The loss of such a precious gift thing was certainly hard for her, but there was more to it. His eyes were as piercing as Shadi's. The teenager had no doubt he could see right through her. Nevertheless, he seemed relieved that she was back home safely.

"You should have called." Reproached the old man, but his voice had softened. "It's late, we'll talk about this tomorrow. Do you want to eat?"

She shook her head. Her stomach was still so tightly knotted that she wasn't sure she could go to sleep without puking first. Without adding a word, she went upstairs and showered before sitting on her bed, her golden box in her hands. Again she inspected the box. The eye of Horus was still missing. Today had been one crazy event after another. Having the choice, she decided to think about Joey rather than Shadi. The 'encounter' with Mr Wheeler had been... shocking to say the least. She understood why Tristan told her to stay away.

'It's no wonder Joey's like that if he lives with that man twenty four seven.'

She couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy. Children don't get to choose their parents, she herself didn't ask to be abandoned by hers. But at least she had her grandfather. Maybe Joey had no one else. Kisa and Tea would say that that was no excuse to act like he does. All of this new knowledge didn't make her problem any easier.

* * *

It was late in the night already. The shadow slowly made it's way through the unsure streets of Hoshu. As he kept on walking, he brought his phone to his ear, and it didn't take long for someone to pick up.

" _If you're calling, I'm guessing there's good news."_ Said the person on the other side of the line. _"I take it you found another item?"_

"Better than that. I found two. The key and the scales."

" _The key and the scales? That means you met him."_

"Don't worry. It's safe to say the Guardian won't be a problem anymore."

" _Excellent."_

"There's a bonus. I found out where the puzzle is too."

" _Why haven't you taken it then?"_

"Because it's in the right hands if you see what I mean. And before you ask, yes I am sure. The Guardian confirmed it himself by putting her through a trial. Now we just have to be patient."

" _This is more than I could hope for. Not bad, Thief King. Not bad at all."_

"So what now?"

" _I will be coming soon to retrieve the items. In the meantime, try to learn more about Pegasus. The time is almost upon us. We can't fail."_

The call ended. "Don't worry about that, partner. I'll make sure nothing stops the awakening."

* * *

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	5. Subliminal pain

**Hey guys! Hope you're all doing awesome! ;) Here's chapter 5.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Even though her eyes were on the screen, Yugi barely paid attention to the kitchen TV as she chewed on her breakfast. Needless to say that she was still thinking about what had happened the previous day, not realizing that her grandfather had his eyes on her. She only looked up when the old man coughed to get her attention.

"Yugi," began Solomon, putting his cup of coffee down, "we need to talk."

"I'm really sorry about yesterday Grandpa, I just..."

"It's not just about yesterday," interrupted the old man. "I know something's going on with you. You really worry me. What happened that you can't tell me about? Did you have a fight with your friends?"

"It's really nothing, Grandpa! I promise!" she exclaimed.

"You answered that way too quickly," replied the old man, frowning.

"It's just... I'm frustrated about losing a piece of my puzzle, that's all."

"I gave you the puzzle two days ago. This has been going on since the beginning of the school year. Yugi, talk to me." Solomon placed his hand on his granddaughter's. "Trust me, you're not doing yourself a favor by keeping everything bottled up."

Yugi bit her lips to prevent her eyes from watering. She'd rather stay quiet than to put a burden on her sweet grandfather's shoulders. Besides, the issue had changed since then. Solomon seemed to quickly understand that he wouldn't get an answer and sighed.

"If not me, then at least speak to Tea or Kisa."

She would, she really would. If only they weren't mad at her. Glancing at the clock, she realized that it was still early but got up anyways. "I have to go. I'll see you tonight."

After putting her cereal bowl in the dishwasher, she kissed Solomon on the cheek before exiting the game shop quickly. This situation was getting out of proportions, this was ridiculous. She wanted to forget about Shadi. She wanted to talk with her friends. But what preoccupied her the most was Joey. It took her a moment to realize that she was getting closer to school, and amongst the students heading that way, she looked for her friends. But what she ended up spotting was pointy brown hair.

"Tristan!" she called out.

He turned around curiously, but frowned when he realized it was her.

"I don't have anything to say to you," he said, dryly, before entering the school ground and quickly walking towards the building.

"Wait!" she insisted running after him. "It's about Joey!"

"Yeah?" he replied without stopping or turning around. "Wanna talk about how you and your friends let him take all the blame? You gonna give me some sad excuse that you couldn't go against Kaiba? Save it. You won't get pity from me."

"Just listen, will you!"

She only realized she'd shouted when the boy finally stopped and looked at her with eyes wider than the ocean. But with him looking at her now, it was now much harder to be as firm.

"I... I went to Hoshu," she let out, not sure what answer to anticipate.

It took him a moment to process that. "Are you crazy? I told you not to snoop in his business! Never mind that, do you know how dangerous it is? Why were you there in the first place?"

"Because he took something that's very important to me! And I want it back."

Tristan was taken aback by the declaration but he quickly frowned. "Joey's not a thief. Do you have proof?"

"Well, no, not exactly," she answered, suddenly realizing that she didn't. "But he's the only one who can tell me where it is. Please Tristan, I need to know where to find him. Somewhere that's not his home..."

"You saw his father, didn't you?"

She nodded, and her schoolmate face-palmed while muttering something about her being an unconscious idiot. She just looked at him, waiting for an answer. Tristan rubbed the back of his head, looking like he was trying to break bad news to someone.

"Look Yugi. I know he bothered you, but trust me. He's not a thief, he doesn't have your stuff. Do what I tell you and stop snooping into Joey's life. He doesn't like it and you'll just be asking for trouble."

With that he walked away, leaving her to sighed to herself. Going to her locker, Yugi received a text. Another invitation from Kaiba. He wanted to see her this evening for a game of Stratego. After hesitating a bit, she realized that she could use the distraction. She responded that she'd be there and went to class. The day went by awkwardly. Tea ignored her, and Kisa, though she smiled and said hello, was still buried under her paperwork. By the end of the day, the troubled girl was even more depressed.

'It's Tuesday. I guess I'll go look around the market to kill some time.'

After sending a message to her grandfather telling him she'd be with Kaiba for the evening, Yugi made her way to the local market. It was a busy day, there were a lot of people and movement. Stands sold everything from clothes, to food, to accessories... The air was filled with the scent of the products from a spice stand. But all Yugi really did was walk around with a blank mind, not paying much attention. A real zombie. Maybe she was hoping a solution for all her problems would appear out of thin air. If only she could just have her puzzle piece back, and be done with all of this. Forget Joey, forget Shadi, forget Hoshu.

"Yugi!" called out a voice, pulling her out of her daze.

She met eyes with a big middle-aged woman wearing an ugly pink dress under a white apron who was sitting behind a stand selling what looked like home made jewelry. Reflexively, she put on a smile, hiding the turmoil inside.

"Hello, Mrs Mirya." She said, approaching the stand. "It's been a while."

"It's good to see you again! Look at you, such a beautiful young lady," exclaimed the woman. "How is your grandfather? How about school? Are you making any friends?"

Not wanting to dwell on her worries anymore than she had to, Yugi replied simply. "Grandpa is doing great. School is alright, and I have awesome new friends. Thank you for asking."

"It's always nice to see you grow into a wonderful young person." Her smile suddenly faded and scorn shaded her face when she looked behind Yugi. "Unlike certain people."

Confused, Yugi turned around. Two boys a bit older than her, rocking the skater punk look with their piercings, beanies and jackets, were passing by, talking about what seemed to be a recent boxing match.

"They're from Hoshu," explained Mrs Mirya. "These little rascals are always stealing from the stands. It makes you wonder what their parents are up to."

Hoshu? Great. She couldn't have a normal conversation without being reminded of her problems. She looked down, thinking she might have been cursed somewhere along the line. After the encounter with Shadi, she could think anything possible, really.

"Dude, check it out!" exclaimed one, looking at his phone. "Raptor's taking on Wheeler at the old factory!"

"You serious? I'm not missing this. Let's go!"

She'd heard right, hadn't she? These boys knew where Joey was. She took it back, maybe there was a little luck for her. This was probably her only chance to see him before the end of his suspension! Without a second thought, she ran after them. Never having been much of an athlete, plus her short legs, she had trouble keeping up. But fighting against the burn in her legs, she forced herself to keep up. The old factory was in fact an abandoned warehouse that used to stash merchandise for a truck company that had bankrupted. It hadn't been used in years.

Once at there, Yugi stopped to catch her breath as the two boys went around the abandoned factory. Her breath regained a little, she carefully made her way to the back, staying close to the brick wall. Behind the old building, near a small canal, were five boys, including the two she'd followed. All of them were facing a blonde figure which she immediately identified as Joey. Her jaw almost hit the floor when she realized the state he was in; black eye, bleeding head, nose and lips, covered in bruises and dirt... Shaking legs, he breathed as heavily as a buffalo. One of the guys with long, messy brown hair and a red beanie cap took a step closer to him.

"That's what you get for deserting. Not as tough as you used to be, are you Wheeler?" he mocked. "You look like something the cat dragged in and pissed all over."

In response, the bleeding blonde spat some blood out of his mouth before smirking a his tormentor. "Ya know what I see, Rex? That ya still don't have the balls to take me on by yarself."

The smile on Rex's face vanished. "Tch. Don't be a smartass when you can't even stand!"

With a kick to the stomach, Joey was sent to the ground, letting a painful grunt escape his mouth. Yugi's heart tightened in her chest.

"You should be grateful." Growled Rex, stepping on his head. "Walking out on the Scarlet Wolves like you did is unforgivable. You're lucky that the boss is willing to give you a second chance. Why can't you just do what you're told?"

Despite his state, Joey looked up, throwing the boy a murderous glare. "Screw the Scarlet Wolves and screw y'all. I'd rather eat dirt than be his lap dog again."

Rex clenched his teeth before kicking him in the stomach. "You wanna eat dirt, Wheeler? Then eat it, you bastard!"

"STOP!"

'I shouldn't have done that, I shouldn't have done that, I really shouldn't have done that...'

Even before all eyes were on her, Yugi realized how bad of a move that was. Coming out of her hiding spot like that was beyond idiotic. It'd been pure impulse, impossible to counter, and she couldn't go back to undo it. So she did the next best thing she thought of. Taking her phone out of her pocket to give weight to her words, she declared.

"I-I called the police! They'll be here any minute!"

She cursed the shaking of her voice and legs. A few awfully long seconds of silence went by before the boys looked at each other, and her insides tightened when she saw that they were clearly not in the least frightened by her threat.

"Where the hell d'she come from?" asked one.

"Dude, check out the uniform," said another, elbowing Rex. "She goes to Wheeler's school."

"Really?" replied the latter, a nasty smile creeping up his face.

Slowly, Rex stepped away from Joey and started walking towards her. By the time he reached her, she'd stopped breathing. Had she been alone, she'd have run. But if she did, what would happen to Joey? Besides, she was positive they'd catch her. The boy stopped a foot away from her.

"So what's with you? You Wheeler's girlfriend or something?"

Feeling like she couldn't answer without stuttering, she shook her head insistently.

"Then what's your deal? You know, there's a price to pay for spoiling our fun."

Clenching her hand on her arm to stabilize her shaking, she dared to speak again. "Y-you should go before the cops arrive..."

He snickered at her and took another step closer. "So what? You think we're scared? That's cute. I bet you didn't even call. You're just bluffing."

Pulling his hand out of his pocket, he reached out for her, but a pebble collided with his head making him grunt and turn around. Joey was back on his feet, his arm still extended from the throw.

"We ain't done here, Rex."

"Want some more, Wheeler?"

At that precise moment, the sound of siren's approaching made all five of them freeze.

"Crap," cursed Rex. "Let's go!"

The five hurried away from the warehouse, and Yugi released the breath she'd been holding in, thanking the blessed coincidence. Then, turning back to her wounded classmate, she quickly made her way to him. Joey was back on one knee, breathing heavily as if trying to kill the pain.

"Oh my God, you're bleeding, there's blood, there's a lot of blood!" she blurted out, maneuvering her hands around his face, no sure if she should touch him before realizing she still had her phone in her hand. "Ambulance, I need to call an ambulance..."

"No," he growled, sitting down.

"But you could have a concussion!"

Before she could even press on the first digit, he slapped the device out of her hand. Despite how injured he was, his state seemed to be the least of his worries, and his eyes were throwing daggers at her. "Didn't ya hear me? I said no ambulance!"

Twice in two days that someone said that to her, and she was pretty sure she was right again. Maybe if she waited for him to calm down a bit, she could convince him. So, as an alternative, she pulled a tissue out of her bag and offered it to him. The bad boy rolled his eyes at her before taking it and wiping the blood off his mouth and nose.

"Who...Who were those guys?" she asked hesitantly. Describe trying to do small talk with your bully awkward.

"The reason shrimps like you shouldn't walk around this part of town," he replied. "What the hell are you doin' here, Yug?"

Good question. How to answer that without agitating him even more was a better one. "I-I heard these guys talking about you being in trouble, so I followed them..."

The black eye wasn't enough to hide the surprise in his eyes. His staring straight at her made her uncomfortable and she looked aside, unable to hold his gaze.

"I can't believe ya. Ya won't defend yarself against someone messin' with you, but ya follow a bunch of shady guys in the most dangerous part of Domino to help me? I can't decide if ya're a coward or just stupid."

She didn't know what to reply to that. She herself didn't understand it. He winced in pain, holding his side. "Joey, you should really go to a hospital."

"I said no," he shot down again before standing back up. "Get out of here, Yug."

"Why not?" she insisted, standing up as well. "Is it because of your dad?"

The question escaped her mouth before she could stop it, but it was too late. The glare he threw her this time was not only filled with shock but bright fury. "What?"

Her body stiffened instantly, and she got the distinct feeling that she'd just stepped on a land-mine. That suspicion got confirmed when Joey grabbed her by the collar and pulled her to her feet, plating his face an inch from hers.

"Why the hell do you know about my old man?"

"I, hum... I just..."

How was it possible for a human being to have so much hate and intensity in his eyes? That glare froze her insides. She'd seen him angry before, but not like this. Even when he'd fought with Kaiba. His irises had pure rage burning in them and for once, she couldn't look away. Of course, that only served to spark his anger more. Keeping her collar in his hand he pushed her back, and she felt herself fall backwards towards the water. She let at a cry of surprise and gripped his arm, as he was the only thing keeping her from falling in, now that only her tip toes were touching the edge.

"Talk," he ordered, almost growling like an angry dog.

"I-I went to your apartment yesterday!" she blurted out, her nails digging in the skin of his arm. "D-don't..."

"What did you see?" As she didn't answer soon enough for his taste, he shook her. "Answer!"

"Y-your dad thought it was you coming back... I didn't even see him, he... he tossed a bottle at the door and then I ran! That's all! Joey, please..."

He froze and suddenly, his face that was burning with anger a second ago was now blank, void of emotion. For a few seconds that felt like an eternity to her, they just stared at each other. Then she saw it. Something more than anger in his eyes. A lot deeper, almost imperceptible. She opened her mouth to say something... The next thing she knew, the cold of the water hit her. It was barely a foot deep, but that was enough to drench her completely. She looked up, under shock.

"Why?" she asked, sensing the shivers take over.

"This should wake ya up a bit, ya idiot," he said, looking down at her. "Listen up, Yug, 'cause I ain't sayin' this again; get lost and stay away from this place, ya hear? That better be clear enough for yar thick head."

Before she could reply anything, the bad boy searched his pockets and tossed something in the water next to her. Recognizing the golden glitter, she quickly reached for it. The eye of Horus. Part of her was relieved while another was more confused than ever. Why did he take it only to give it back when she asked?

"That's why ya came here in the first place, ain't it?" he said, as she kept contemplating the golden piece. "I still don't get why ya'd jump head first in the fire for a piece o' puzzle, but ya got no more reason to be here. So get lost, shrimp. This ain't a place for wimps like ya."

With that, he turned heels and started walking away. Yugi didn't move. She thought about it, calling out to him. But something stopped her. And so, after pulling herself out of the canal, she stood there, long after his footsteps died away, clenching her treasure with both hands. Like she was scared it would escape her again.

She realized how long she'd been here when she sneezed, and looked up to see that the sun was beginning to decline. Her arms and legs were so cold she could barely feel them. Mechanically, Yugi picked up her bag and cellphone and started walking. Each of her steps sounded like she was stepping in puddles. Her feet were taking her somewhere, but she couldn't care less where. The confusion was too disturbing. She had her treasure back. That's what she'd wanted since the beginning. So why wasn't she happy? Granted, being soaked to the bone in a breezy evening of spring wasn't the best sensation, and she could catch a cold. But that wasn't it. The bitterness pinching her heart was still here.

'Why?' She thought, remembering that look in his eyes.

It was suppose to have all stopped once she got the eye back! So why hadn't it? Why did she feel like throwing away the treasure she'd searched for so badly? Absorbed in her thoughts, she didn't hear the vehicle approaching. Even when the car honked and braked, her numb body didn't even have the reflex to move. Thankfully, the car stopped just before reaching her. The headlights blinding her, she wasn't able to discern the kind of car it was, but there was no mistaking the tall figure that stepped out of it. His white coat floated majestically behind him as he made his way to the front of the car.

In his steel blue eyes, she read the mix of anger and surprise. With Kaiba, it was all in the eyes since his face showed nothing. Maybe it was because of him that she'd learned to read them more than the face. She bit her lower lip. Why did she have to learn that skill? Why did she have to see that look in Joey's eyes? What was this horrible tightness in her heart? Pressing the eye of Horus on her chest, she looked down trying to hide her face from the young billionaire. But it was futile. Kaiba saw everything, that's how he was. Yugi knew he was taking it all in; her soaked clothes and hair, her tightened hands, her dirty shoes, her exhaustion, her shivering...

"What happened?" he asked, but he already knew he wasn't going to get an answer.

She didn't even shake her head in response, and continued to try to fight the tears. So, he gave up. For now. Seto knew when to backdown for strategy purposes. He wasn't this little genius' greatest rival for nothing. And so he extended a hand.

"Come here," he ordered.

The voice was commanding, yet so inviting. So warm. Yugi knew. She knew this side from him, hidden from all others. And she was tired of fighting an invisible threat. She made her way to him slowly, and once in reach, he gently pushed in the limo and followed her in.

"Take us home, and turn up the heat," he ordered, before closing the blind between the chauffeur and them.

He glanced at her. Arms wrapped around herself, she was shivering but her eyes were elsewhere. In any case, she needed to get out of those clothes fast. "Take off your shoes and socks, or you're going to catch pneumonia."

Without discussing, she reached for her shoe and tried to undo the lace. But her numb fingers plus the fact that she refused to let go off the eye of Horus made it extremely difficult. Seto sighed. Not wanting to risk her catching her death, he knelt down and proceeded to undo her laces and taking off her shoes and socks, roughly and efficiently. In the process, he felt just how cold her feet were. For crying out loud, she was grazing hypothermia!

"You need to take off your jacket and shirt," he stated, and as she perked up, took off his cape-like coat and handed it to her. It didn't have any sleeves, but it was plenty enough to wrap the petite girl in three times. Then, not waiting for an answer, he sat back down and faced the window.

"Don't worry. Windows are tinted and I won't look."

She didn't doubt him. If Kaiba wasn't a man of curtesy, he was definitely one of honor. Still, she didn't feel comfortable at all undressing in his car. So quickly, she took off her bowtie, vest and shirt before wrapping herself in his majestic coat. She realized once more how small she was compared to him. It was a real king-sized cover for her. More shivers travelled through her body, showing her that she was slowly warming up. When he turned back to her, she had the same face on again, struggling. He knew what was coming next. Anyone would.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, her voice barely more than a whisper.

She wasn't looking at him. In fact, he was pretty sure she wasn't addressing him. For Yugi, when she was too confused to understand something, she'd apologize. Like being confused was a crime that needed forgiveness. The dam finally broke, and a stream of warm tears fell out. Using the back of her hand, she tried to stop them.

"I'm sorry," she repeated.

"Shut up," he said, dryly. "The next time you talk, is to explain yourself. I don't want to hear anything else until then."

So she stopped and instead, sobbed as quietly as she could, burying her self in his coat. The crying exhausted the rest of her energy, and soon enough, sleep took over. This had been one, very bad day. The kind she wished could just be forgotten.

* * *

She'd fallen asleep faster than he'd thought. Seto sighed again, as the frustration ate at him on the inside. If it weren't for his out of this world's self-control, he'd have verbally destroyed her. She'd better explain herself when she woke up., he wouldn't allow this to be just brushed off. Wether she liked it or not, he was going to get answers.

* * *

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 **(T, I hope you appreciated the last bit of this chapter!)**


	6. Sparked

**Can you guys believe that I am being bribed to write that fic? And with another story from one of my favorite authors ever for crying out loud! That has to be illegal in someone's book. Anyways, Lowe, I hope you're happy!**

 **Enjoy everyone! ;)**

* * *

Sitting on the edge of the bed, nervously twisting the eye of Horus in her hands, Yugi was trying to find a way to make this situation less awkward. Waking up in one of the guest rooms of the Kaiba mansion wondering how the hell she got in Mokuba's starry pajamas – that she was still wearing, by the way - was bad enough. Facing Seto Kaiba and his angry face was worse. Sitting in a chair, legs and arms crossed and throwing her an impatient and irritated look, he didn't seem ready to move anytime soon. The sound of the living room clock's second hand was the loudest thing around, since Mokuba had already left for school. Definition of awkward right here. As she remained quiet, he spoke first.

"You're not leaving this house until you spill, so you might as well get on with it," he said.

"I need to go to school," she tried, eying the clock. It was fifteen past ten already.

"Do I look like I care? I hope I'm wrong about this Yugi, but the only reason I can think for you to go Hoshu is Wheeler."

Of course he knew. Kaiba was capable of keeping her months until she talked if he really wanted to. Besides, she couldn't go out while wearing pajamas. So she remained where she was, unsure of what to say. The young CEO already knew far too much for her to be able to get away with lying. But she still felt reluctant to spill the whole truth.

"Did he force you to go there?"

"No!" She shouted, so fast she surprised herself. "That's not it! I went there all on my own!"

His eyes narrowed. "What for?"

"..."

"Alright, easier question then." Opening his hand, he presented the eye of Horus to her. "You were holding on to it like your life depended on it. It's a piece of that weird puzzle in your bag, isn't it?"

"You looked through my stuff?"

"I did what I had to do," he replied, not remorseful in the slightest. "You sure as hell wouldn't have given me an answer. But you're going to give them to me now. It's pointless keeping up this game. You're going to loose and I don't like it."

She thought for a few moments, before looking up at him again. If this was a game, then she had to come up with a strategy to make sure he wouldn't act impulsively like last time. "Then, promise me you won't do anything."

"You're not entitled to be asking for conditions."

"Yes I am!" she insisted, standing up. "This was my business from the start, you just did what you wanted without asking me. I'll tell you what you want to know as long as you promise not to do anything more. Getting Joey suspended was already over the top."

"So this is about Wheeler," he said sounding victorious and pissed at the same time. "Damn it, Yugi!"

"Promise me."

No matter how uncomfortable it was, she forced herself to look at him straight in the eyes, forbidding herself to blink. Thank goodness, he was sitting. She didn't know how well she could play that game, if he'd been looking at her from the top of his 186 centimeters. But she held his gaze until he finally sighed.

"Fine. I promise not to do anything unnecessary."

"Or without consulting me," she added.

"Or without consulting you, yeah, yeah. Get on with it already."

The short girl sat back down on the bed clenched her fists on her laps. "That puzzle is a gift from my Grandpa. The day you got Joey suspended, he was teasing me and he took a piece of it. The one you're holding."

"And you thought it was a brilliant idea to go get it back." He paused. "In Hoshu." Pause again. "At dusk."

"It wasn't nightfall when I went..." she tried defending her case.

She stopped talking when she saw the glare he was throwing her. The brewing and boiling irritation in his eyes was threatening to become a raging fire. And God help her if she got on the bad side of Seto Kaiba. "You got your piece back. That means you actually met him. Why were you soaked?"

Again, she was reluctant to say. But she had to give him something, and no way in hell was she telling him about Shadi. He wouldn't believe her and might think she was insane. "He was angry that I was there, and he... pushed me in the canal. Then he gave me the piece and left."

"He just gave it back without a second thought?" repeated Kaiba, skeptically raising one eyebrow. "Don't lie to me."

"It's true!" she exclaimed. "I don't understand it anymore than you, but that's what happened. I promise, it's the truth. You have to believe me."

He knew that she was a terrible liar, she just wasn't good at that sort of thing. Something about her being too honest, and unfortunately, that often accompanied stupidity. She wasn't lying but that didn't mean she said everything either. But she had given him something. For now, that would do. He sighed and tossed her the eye of Horus before standing from his seat and heading for the door.

"Hana will bring you your clothes and I'll have Hobson drop you off at school," he stated before exiting.

True to his words, the maid brought Yugi's uniform and bag. After getting dressed and putting back the piece in the golden box, she stepped out of the room and Kaiba walked her to the front door. Still feeling the tension about him, she thought she'd try small talk.

"How did you find me?" she asked, not sure that she actually wanted to know.

"I tracked your phone," he replied, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Her forehead wrinkled in worry. "Please tell me that was a one time thing."

"I'm seriously starting to consider making it a permanent thing if you keep acting like an idiot."

"You can't do that, it's a crime!" Not to mention an extreme invasion of privacy.

"Like you could sue me."

She gave up and shook her head, and for a moment she gave reason to Joey's words about rich people thinking they could do anything. But reasoning with herself, she thought those were words were probably more of a threat. For now at least. And since she didn't have anymore reason to do 'stupid things', she wouldn't give him a reason to execute it either. Still, even when she stepped into the luxurious limo, she didn't say goodbye and kept her eyes on her feet. She just nodded when he said he expected her back in shape for their next game. As she remained quiet, Hobson, the Kaiba's butler and driver, looked at her in the rearview mirror as he drove.

"He was relieved to find you unharmed, Miss Yugi," stated the man.

"Feels more like he was chewing me out..." she replied, distractingly gazing out the window.

"He was worried. Master Seto cares deeply for you, even if he doesn't show it."

"I know..."

Of course she knew. But she really wasn't in a state to receive his moralizing. She knew what she had done was stupid, she didn't need anyone else telling her. Not Kaiba and not Joey. Hobson had just dropped her in front of the school, when she heard her name.

"Yugi!"

Looking up, she saw Kisa and Tea running towards her. Judging from the students leaving the building, it was already lunch break. Normally, she would've been overjoyed to see them. But for some reason, she wasn't and actually felt worse. They looked worried.

"Are you alright?" asked Kisa, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Kaiba sent me a text."

"What were you thinking?" Continued Tea, looking at her like she was dying. "Going to Hoshu by yourself, like that. What was going on in your head?"

Yugi bit her lower lip and looked at the ground. Kaiba said he wouldn't do anything unnecessary. She should have known better than to trust him. He did whatever he pleased whenever he pleased.

"Where were you?" She asked with a low voice, surprising her friend.

"What?" asked Kisa, confused.

When Yugi looked up again, she looked like she was about to cry again. But there were no tears. Just that mix of misery and sadness shading her usually happy face.

"I needed you and you weren't here," she snapped. Well, snapped for her, which was pretty soft compared to what either of her friends could dish out. "For two days, you ignored me for no valid reason. And when I needed you, weren't here."

Kisa seemed confused more than anything, but when she looked at Tea, the other girl had 'guilty' written all over her face.

"That was your fault, you accused us of lying first..." began the latter.

"My fault?" she exclaimed in response. "You did all of that without even asking me about it, just like Kaiba. I didn't want this to be resolved like that! Don't blame me for your rashness!"

Yugi hadn't even felt the explosion coming, even though the tightness in her chest had been a clear indicator. Then again, in her defense, she hadn't gotten angry in a very long time. Though no where near as explosive as others, it seemed to be enough for Tea and Kisa to stare at her with pure shock and dismay. And the short girl, sensing the unease, quickly walked away, leaving them behind. Going around the school building, she sat at a picnic table under a tree and opened her bag to take out her golden box. Scattering the pieces on the table, she started looking at them. Holding them. Feeling them. The process of extreme thinking was begun, and for a moment, she thought she could drown in her game world and forget everything. That failed when her eyes landed on the eye of Horus. She didn't control her reaction when the anger rose in her again. Grabbing the piece, she did what she couldn't yesterday and tossed it a couple of feet from her. Granted, she regret it the moment it left her hand, but before she could even get up, a voice stopped her.

"Well, that's a surprise, half-pint. I didn't think you had it in you."

Her heart jumped, and she looked up. Sitting on a branch in the tree was a certain British individual. But for once, he had a smile on. A creepy one, sure, but a smile none the less.

"Bakura? What do you mean?"

The boy jumped off the tree and landed with the agility of a cat. Picking up the piece she'd tossed, he brought it back to her. "First off, that you'd actually get mad. You didn't strike me as the type to bark back. Second, that you're angry enough to toss this thing away."

It surprised her how he knew her attachment to the puzzle. But she supposed anyone could see the ancient artifact as something precious. It was made of pure gold after all. After putting back the piece on the table, Bakura sat down, facing her.

"Any progress?" he asked.

Again, surprising. He didn't strike her as the type to do small talk either. Maybe now that his headache was gone, he was feeling friendlier? She sighed before answering. "Not really. I've been out of it lately."

 _'Out of it, huh? So she's still fixated on Wheeler's sorry case. This could be a problem. Guess I have no choice if I want to speed things up, I'm gonna have to play fairy god mother.'_

"What's holding you back? What are you really pissed about? 'Cause I'm guessing it's not your friends. My money is on that Joey bloke."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know..."

"Kind of hard not to know," he replied, cutting her off. "He's the talk of the school and so are you half-pint."

 _'Or the fact that I've been following you for two days straight.'_

The short girl thought for a moment. She was angry, but at who in particular? Kaiba and the girls had done what they thought was best for her, though not the right way. The source of her problems still remained the same. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But... I'm more angry at the fact that I don't understand why he stole my piece and just gave it back. I can't shake that feeling that there's something more behind, well, him."

"Then what are you waiting for?" growled Bakura. "Go ask the bloke for an explanation and be done with it."

"It's not that easy..."

"Like hell it's not," he snapped, irritated. "There's nothing bloody easier than this, shorty. When you want something, you fight for it. That's how life works, there's no other way around it. So suck it up and move your ass."

"But he clearly pushed me away and I have no idea where to find him..."

A new grin crept up the British boy's face. "That can be arranged," he said, feeling the ring heating up against his torso.

* * *

"That's it," said Yugi, still having trouble realizing. "It's the bar I saw the other day."

After school, Bakura had somehow managed to find out where Joey was and it'd turned out to be the bar Yugi had seen him enter after her last match with Kaiba. Above the entrance, was a red illuminated sign spelling out, Valentina's.

"According to my source, he's in there," said Bakura. "It's the middle of the afternoon, so it should be relatively empty. What's with the face, shorty?"

Rubbing her hands together, she replied, "Nothing, really, I'm just... getting nervous I guess."

An angry vein popped out on Bakura's head. He needed her issues to be resolved as quick as she did, otherwise the timing for the awakening wouldn't be right. Shoving her forward, he growled. "Get over it, you wuss. You want answers, you have to go get them. And hurry up if you want to blow this joint before nightfall."

Yugi looked at him and then at the entrance again. _When you want something, you fight for it._ Though she wasn't sure what it was exactly that she wanted, she knew it involved talking to him. Taking a deep breath, she turned one last time to Bakura.

"Thank you, Bakura."

"Hurry up," he growled back. "I'm not waiting for your butt all day."

And so, Yugi walked down the stairs to the entrance of the bar. Inside was, really what you'd expect to find. A large room with high desks and chairs, a counter, dim lighting, a couple of pool tables as well as dartboards on the wall. Despite the fact that this was the middle of the afternoon, a group of young men were their drinking, and judging by the smell of their smoke, doing much more than that. She must've been staring too long, because one of them called out to her.

"What are you staring at, kid?"

"N-nothing," she responded quickly, tensing up and quickly walking further, only to bump into another one. He looked halfway drunk already, and towered over her, having trouble finding her eyes.

"This isn't a place for brats."

"I-I'm sevent..." she started before realizing her mistake and covering her hand with her mouth.

The man in front of her blinked a few times, processing before letting a nasty grin stretch across his face. "Seventeen, huh? That means you're legal..."

Oh boy, she really didn't like the tone of that. But before anything else could happen, the drunk man was kicked in the back and tumbled down. A tall blonde woman with long hair wearing a purple miniskirt, and a black stomach revealing top under a sleeveless purple jacket, stood there, hands on her hips. Next to her was spiky brown haired man with a red shirt and jeans. Both looked angry.

"You boys really never learn do you?" said the woman, shaking her head. "I don't give a rat's ass if this is Hoshu, you don't blaze up in my bar."

"Ah, Mai, baby don't be like that," replied, clearly as high as the Everest. "You gotta learn to relax. Have a smoke with us. I promise, you'll feel good..."

The woman sighed. "Valon, take care of that for me, would you?"

"Leave it to me, boss."

So this woman was the owner of the bar? That was surprising. She was probably as tough as she looked. Turning to Yugi, she placed a gentle hand on her back and led her towards the counter.

"Come with me, sweetie" she said. "The boys are about to get a bit rowdy."

Indeed, when Yugi glanced back, the man named Valon dodged a knife attack and punched his assailant in the face, before pulling a gun out of nowhere. The scared group of junkies then quickly made their way out of the place. Yugi tensed up when she saw the weapon, but the woman reassured her.

"Don't worry, he's my bouncer and he's got a license. I know this is Hoshu, but we do things by the book here," she explained. "Why don't you take a seat?"

Hesitantly, Yugi did as she was told and sat at the counter while the woman went on the other side and poured a golden liquid in a glass. Then, pushing the glass in front of the high schooler, she smiled again.

"Drink up, it's an apology for the way you were welcomed. And don't worry, it's appropriate for a kid like you."

"I'm a high schooler..." she muttered, a little frustrated about having been called a kid twice.

"I know, I recognize the Domino High uniform," replied the owner of the bar. "For the record, that still counts as being a kid. Drink up."

Not sure what to do next, Yugi did as she was told and brought the glass to her lips. She was surprised to get the sweet taste of apple juice on her tongue. She also realized how terribly thirsty she was.

"Thank you," she said.

"No problem. Now, why don't you tell me what someone like you, is doing in a dump like this? You're clearly not from around here. What's your name?"

"Yugi," she replied, before glancing around. "I'm looking for someone."

The woman frowned. "You're not selling yourself, are you?"

Yugi spat out the apple juice and chocked on it for a bit, her face flaming up. "No! Of course not! I'm looking for a classmate!"

"Sorry, I'm just checking. I've seen girl's your age turn up like this, meeting strangers for 'work'. It's not something I encourage, no matter how miserable your life is. Trust me, I speak from experience," she explained. "So, who's your guy?"

"Hum, he's got a big mass of blonde hair, with brown eyes, has a long nose, bit slumped in his posture...oh and has a Brooklyn accent."

She stopped when she saw the woman's eyes widen in surprise. "You're looking for Joey?"

"Y-Yeah. Someone told me he was here. You know him?"

A smile appeared on the blonde's face. "Sure I know him. He comes by pretty often when he wants to get away from things. The boy thinks I'm his private shrink and likes to complain to me. A real pain in my ass, if you ask me."

A pain in the ass? But the way she spoke of him, was more of a sister talking about an annoying little brother. Yugi immediately caught on the impression that this woman cared very much for him. But strangely, that didn't surprise her, and a small spark of relief tickled her heart.

"When you say get away from things, do you mean his father?"

"You know about that huh? That's strange, he's really not the type to open up. You two must be close."

"No, not really."

"No? Then what are you doing here looking for him. I'm guessing it's not to give him homework."

"I'm not sure how to say this... we didn't exactly get along."

The owner of Valentina's observed the girl in front of her. No taller than a bean sprout, she'd come all the way to Hoshu, looking for the troublesome boy that was Joey Wheeler, who apparently had been an ass to her. At least that's what she was sensing from her.

"You know, this is the first time someone's ever come to Hoshu looking for him. I have a hard time believing you're just a classmate. Why were you looking for him?"

That was a tough question. "I'm not sure. I want him to tell me something. He did something that I don't really understand. Well, actually I know why, but I still don't get it. I'm not making any sense, am I?"

She chuckled in response. "Sounds like you're having a hard time figuring yourself out, too. But if you're here, isn't it because you're worried about him in a way?"

Yugi threw her a curious look. Was she? Worried about that guy who picked on her? Was that even possible? She thought she was here for an answer but was that it?

"You know," continued the woman, "when I first met Joey, he was fifteen year old brat stealing liquor from my bar. He was part of a street gang called the Scarlet Wolves that have a knack for burning cars, shop lifting and dealing. One day a bunch of them came in here, and started harassing my staff. Joey stood up to them. Against the ones he called friends to defend people he didn't even know. Ever since, he's been having trouble with them. On top of that, he manages living with his pig of an old man after his mother abandoned him."

That was familiar. That pain was. Nothing hurts more than to be abandoned by the people who are supposed to love you. She remembered as a child, crying herself to sleep every night after her parents left. But unlike him, she'd had her grandfather. He dearest grandfather, always there for her. She only realized she was crying, when a tear streamed down her cheek. Quickly she wiped it.

"He really is a good for nothing idiot and a jerk when he wants too," continued the woman, putting a bottle away. "He's trying to fish himself out of deep water, but at some point he needs to realize that there's no shame in relying on trustworthy people. He's a prideful idiot like that."

A image of Kisa, Tea and Kaiba flashed through her mind. Maybe, if she'd relied on them from the start, none of this would've happened. But it was no use crying over spilt milk. Now, there was something she needed to do. And for the first time since the beginning of this whole mess, she had a pretty good idea of what it was. Looking up at the woman, she smiled.

"Thank you. Do you know where I can find him?"

"You just missed him. But you know what? Give me your number and I'll give you a heads up for next time. Also, I hope you have an muscly escort."

"I came with a friend. He's waiting outside."

"Good." With that she handed her a pen and a piece of paper, on which Yugi wrote her phone number. "My name is Mai Valentine. Take care of yourself Yugi. Can I ask a favor of you?"

"Yes?"

"Take care of him. He's a rascal and the clumsiest guy you will ever meet, but his heart's in the right place."

The short girl nodded and thanked her once more, before Valon showed her out on his boss' demand. After she left, Mai smiled and looked at her feet.

"You really are an idiot, if you let someone like that slip by."

He hadn't moved the whole time, his head hanging low, back pressed against the counter. His eyes were unreadable. And he didn't reply. Mai shook her head and smiled before handing him the small sheet of paper.

"This is for you. I'll beat you up myself if you let it go to waste, Wheeler."

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed yourselves! Next chapter, we get a little villain perspective! *insert evil laugh here***

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	7. Voices

**MADE IT! I'm here! I finished! Phew! You would not believe the writing marathon I've been through to finish this chapter today! Well, technically, I failed because it's passed midnight here, but whatever!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

It was late in the night already. Almost fifteen past one. But Yugi had been unable to stop ever since she'd returned home after her visit to Valentina's. Sitting at her desk in her room, with only her desk lamp as a light source, she had forgotten to eat and was still in her uniform. But she couldn't stop. The feeling of determination she'd felt since her burst of anger hadn't left her. And in the present moment, it was fueling her ability to think. Which is why she'd been handing the pieces of her puzzle for hours, taking in the shapes, and conjuring mental 3D figures to help her figure out what the final shape. Her search for Joey had failed, but if anything, she was happy to have regained her ability to loose herself in her games.

'I knew it wasn't going to be a piece of cake, but this is crazy!' she thought, her eyes red from the lack of blinking due to her fascination for her treasure. _'_ If I put this one here, and that one there...'

Grabbing two pieces, she brought them together until she heard a click. Yugi wasn't usually a dramatic person, but this time, she could swear she heard the echo of the noise. Her heart throbbed in her chest and she threw her arms in the air.

"Yes! One done, ninety-nine more to go."

 _Thank you_

Startled, Yugi looked up and turned around to look at her door. But there was no one there, though the door was slightly opened and she was sure she'd closed it.

"Grandpa? Is that you?"

No answer. She could've sworn that she'd heard something. Eying her clock, she realized how late it was and rubbed her eyes. It looked like exhaustion was toying with her mind. Yawning loudly, she put her pieces back in the box and quickly put on her pajama's, thinking she'd shower in the morning. Once in bed, she checked her phone to see if she had any messages, before falling asleep with a small sigh of disappointment.

* * *

Simultaneously, on the docks, a figure in a black coat with a bag at it's feet, waited patiently while looking at the ocean under the moonless black sky. Bakura stared at the horizon, as the wind played with his messy white mane. Then, the ring around his neck suddenly rose and pointed towards the sea. A grin appeared on his face when he saw a white boat approaching the coast.

"About time."

The white boat docked twenty minutes later and two people hidden under black hoodies stepped onto the land. One of them, the shorter of the two, removed his hood and revealed a dark skinned young man about his age, with platinum blond hair and purple eyes.

"Hello, Thief King. It's been a while."

"Hello, Tomb Keeper. Indeed it has," he greeted before grabbing the bag and tossing it to him. "They key and the scales are inside."

The newcomer inspected the content. "Excellent work. It looks like pairing up with you was the right move."

Bakura crossed his arms and snorted. "That is, as long as you keep your end of the bargain."

"Don't worry about that. Once the awakening is over, the Millennium Items are yours, as promised," he assured. "What about your issue from earlier. Any progress?"

"Not sure, we'll gonna to see. It might need a bit more attention."

"I see. If push comes to shove, I'll step in."

"Tch. Knowing you, you'll step in anyways. You're as nosy as ever," growled Bakura. "Be my guest, if you wanna play fairy Godmother with the shrimp."

"I'm curious. I want to see what the pure of heart is like. In the meantime, try to find out more about our last item."

The grin on the British boy's face suddenly vanished. "This better work, Marik. Things won't go well if you screw up."

"Fear not. I will not fail. It's my destiny to make the awakening happen."

* * *

"Nope, not it either."

Yugi put the two pieces she was holding back on the ground before yawning loudly. Of course, she'd gotten up early to work on her puzzle some more. Now, sitting on the rooftop, she was hoping to find another matching piece before lunch break was over. The irritation that was eating at her was just as strange as annoying. Usually, her favorite part of brain teasers was the process of solving. But right now, she just wanted to finish it. Maybe because she wanted to see the completed shape that badly. Puffing, she checked her phone to distract herself. Still no message.

"As usual, it's unbelievable how you can spend hours whacking your brain for this."

Looking up, Yugi was surprised to find her friends there. She had been so focused on her puzzle that she hadn't even paid attention to them during morning classes. From the looks of it, they'd been standing here a while. Smiling awkwardly, she looked down and twiddled with a piece in her hand.

"Yeah, well... apparently, I'm a freak."

Tea and Kisa laughed awkwardly at her attempted joke and then the class rep asked. "Can we sit?"

Yugi nodded and the two took place on the ground facing her. Kisa elbowed Tea. "Look, I'm really sorry about everything. I was being a bitch. I was angry. Because I thought we mattered enough to you for you to trust us more. But that backfired on me. I ignored you and you got into even more trouble. Serves me right, I guess."

"I'm sorry too," continued Kisa. "I should've noticed something was off. We haven't been cool with you at all. But Yugi, we want you to realize that the problem doesn't only come from us. But I admit, I did something rash and wrong, and I'm sorry. Are you willing to talk with us? No more secrets, heart out and all?"

It took a moment for the game-brain to gather her thoughts. She knew her exploding had been justified, but at the same time, she didn't want to stay mad at her friends. And she was relieved to have a chance to make up. Leaving her puzzle aside, she turned to them completely.

"Truce." Their faces brightened up and both nodded. "Truth is, I've never felt as alone as during those past few days. But, I also did stupid things. Do you mind if I tell you first what I've been up to?"

Her friends looked at each other, surprised but got closer to their short friend. And they listened to everything. Yugi's three trips to Hoshu, Joey's father, the fight with the Scarlet Wolves, Bakura, Valentina's... The only thing she modified a bit was the part with Shadi. She herself wasn't quite sure if she really believed what had happened. Plus, it was a separate incident. And right now, she knew who she had to focus on. But by the time she was done explaining, her friends looked like she'd just told them she was a ghost.

"Slow down a little," said Tea, raising her hand. "You're saying that first off, you're finally admitting that Joey was bullying you. Second, that he stole a piece of your treasure. And third, that he's not such a bad guy? This is exactly why we were fighting in the first place! I mean come on, what's changed?"

"I am not following," admitted Kisa, shaking her head. "It sounds like you're saying we're back to square one; convincing you that he is a bully."

Gathering up her knees closer to her chest, Yugi took a breath. They had decided to have a true best friend heart to heart so she was bond to tell them. And the sooner the better. "I never told you guys this before but... Joey's not the first person I've had problems with. In middle school, there were these kids that picked on me too. Joey... the way he teased me, it was so different."

Kisa lifted an eyebrow. "The guy made you cry, messed with you, verbally abused you, stole your stuff, pushed you in a canal... how was he different? If anything, he sounds worse."

"You said you'd listen," insisted Yugi throwing her an obvious glare.

"Alright, alright. Go on."

"The people before... if I tried to get away, they'd get mad. Joey got angry because I didn't try. He wasn't enjoying himself. Then, there's the puzzle piece. He stole it just to give it back to me? I don't get it. That's why I went back. I wanted to know. And then, Mai told me about him..."

"Oh come on, she was probably looking out for him because they're from the same neighborhood," said Tea.

"I don't think so. She had no problem kicking out the wasted junkies from her bar. I don't think she'd protect someone if they weren't worth it."

"Well, I understand him a bit more now," said Kisa. "I can't imagine having a father like that."

That comment seemed to step more on the brunette's nerves, as she lightly shoved Kisa. "Don't pity him! Kaiba's one thing, but him? I mean, even he has a crap life, it doesn't mean he gets a free pass to bully someone."

"Agreed. Why are you telling us all of this, Yugi?"

"I want to talk to him," she declared without hesitation. "I want to understand."

"But why?"

"I'm not sure... The last time I saw him, his eyes were... well, it was like he was wanted to say something but couldn't." Her own words were confusing even her. She knew what she wanted, but still didn't know why. Maybe closure? But it didn't felt like it. The game-brain turned to the class rep and asked honestly. "Are you able to tell why you want to look after Kaiba?"

Instead of answering the question, Kisa's eyes widened in shock. "Wait. You want to look after Joey?"

"What? No! That's not what I meant! I-I just... I just want an explanation, that's all! I was just using you and Kaiba as an example because... well..."

The timid girl thankfully got quite literally saved by the bell, when it rang throughout the school announcing the end of lunch break. The three girls quickly picked up there stuff and hurried back inside the school. They spent the rest of the day passing each other notes, with Yugi desperately trying to convince them of her choice. It ended after the last bell rang, when she told them she'd do it no matter what.

"Fine, let's say we let you do your thing and talk to the jerk," said Tea, as the three walked out of the school building side to side. "No way in hell you're going back to Hoshu to do that."

"But that's the only place I know where to find him," replied Yugi. "And it's at Valentina's, Mai will probably be there..."

"No. No no no! Out of the question," immediately shot down Kisa. "Either you find a way to drag him out of that place, or you wait for the end of his suspension. No alternatives. If you do anything stupid again, I will call Kaiba."

Tea suddenly stopped in her track, making the two others imitate her and throw her curious glares. "Or," she said staring in the distance. "We wait for him to show up at the school gate."

Following her gaze, Yugi widened in shock when she, indeed, saw a blond figure leaning on the wall across the street. He was in casual clothes, and had a few bandages on his face. He was distractingly looking around and the students exiting the school muttered to themselves while quickly walking away. Finally, he made eye contact with her. Simultaneously, they froze each other on the spot for a few seconds. The shorty was most disconcerted. She hadn't expected them to come face to face like that again so soon.

'What do I do now?'

 _Don't worry_

"Huh? Did you guys say something just now?" she asked.

"No, I was waiting for you to tell us what you wanted to do," said Kisa. "But it looks like he's finally making a move."

Indeed, the bad boy crossed the street and stepped in front of them. Tea was already on guard, ready to pummel him should it be needed, and Kisa kept her eyes alert. But his eyes were only on her. Before saying anything, he pulled a piece of paper out of his jacket and handed it to her. It was the one she'd written her number on for Mai.

"Got some time for a talk?" he asked, putting his hands back in his pocket.

"Y-yeah, sure." What else could she reply?

"Not so fast," warned Tea taking a step forward. "We're coming with."

"It's a private talk."

"After everything you've done, you're expecting us to just let you take off with Yugi? How stupid do you think we are?"

"I ain't here to kidnap her," he said. "And it's not like ya were around to watch her. Some best friends y'all are."

"Why you..."

"Enough!" snapped Kisa, silencing both of them. The rare times the class representative got angry, no one was brave enough to go against her. "Tea, we already talked about this. Yugi wants to do this so we trust and let her do what she wants. If anything goes wrong, she'll tell us. Right?"

Her glare was sparked with warning, and Yugi quickly nodded. Kisa then turned to Joey. "Besides, we owe you an apology for the suspension. But you better not make us regret this."

"Joey's gonna keep his hands to himself," said a voice behind them, that turned out to be Tristan's who was approaching. "Right, man?"

The bad boy nodded in agreement. "Thanks, buddy."

"Don't screw it up."

Somehow, the girls got the impression that the guy with the pointy hair knew more than it appeared about this whole affair.

"You better go quickly," said Kisa to Joey, looking at the curious students around. "You're not technically on school ground, but someone could easily complain about you blocking the way out. Also, make sure Yugi's home before her curfew, if you don't want her grandfather to decapitate you."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Whatever ya say, mom. Come on, Yug."

He began walking away quickly, and Yugi had to run to catch up to him. Throwing one last look at her friends, she saw Kisa make a I-got-my-eye-on-you gesture with her hand at her. Even when they'd disappear from their sight, the two odd companions kept quiet. Yugi had to practically jog to keep up with Joey's stride. Focusing his eyes on the way, he was avoiding contact. So, Yugi tried to settle the awkward atmosphere.

"So... where are we going?"

"The mall. I'm starvin'," he responded bluntly. "Any ideas?"

Well, so much for dissipating the atmosphere. Small talk was even more awkward, especially since he was indulging. She'd half expected to have him just keep quiet and not answer her.

"Hum... Startrucks is pretty good."

He made a face. "It ain't cheap."

"Oh." She hadn't thought of allowance. Hers was pretty meager too. "Or there's Burger World. The new place that just opened?"

He finally looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Ya eat burgers at four o'clock?"

"No, but they also serve light stuff for snack."

Although she would never admit it to anyone, her tiny stomach had the capacity to digest burgers even for breakfast. But right now, she was way too nervous to think about burgers. It would be a miracle if she managed to find her mouth while talking to him. She still had a hard time believing that he'd come on his own. What did he want to tell her, after so clearly pushing her away? Maybe Mai had something to do with it.

" _Take care of him. He's a rascal but his heart's in the right place,"_ said the Mai of her memory.

In silence yet again, the two teenagers made their way to the Domino Northern Mall and then to the fast food restaurant. Once they had Yugi's hot chocolate with whipped cream and Joey's coke and lemon pound cake, they went to sit. The restaurant wasn't very full, so they easily found a quiet corner, which they proceeded to fill with even more silence, just avoiding each other's eyes and sipping on their drinks, until Yugi ran out of chocolate and excuses.

'Come one, Yugi,' she told herself. 'You wanted to see him now ask!'

"So...why were you looking for me?"

"Ya're the one who wanted to ask me somethin'."

"Right. I guess Mai told you..."

"Actually, I do have a question for ya."

Immediately, she shut her mouth and opened her ears. Just before he spoke, she could've sworn she'd seen him frown a bit more. "Ya got yar treasure back. So what do you want now?"

Taking a breath, she gathered her thoughts. "Before you took my piece, you said to me that... what you were doing wasn't bullying. That you were doing me a favor. What kind of favor was it?"

This time he looked at her straight in the eyes. He eyed her for so long that she started nervously twiddling with the bottom of her jacket. What was he looking at? Maybe he wasn't understanding what she meant?

"I mean... I've been bullied before, but you're different. And with what Mai told me about you, I don't understand. My friends are pretty set on the idea that you're nothing but a bully. But if that's all, then why did you give me back my puzzle piece? You could've just tossed it and rub it in my face. But you didn't. I don't understand who you are."

At every word she said, her insides tightened and her heart sped up. Her face slowly heat up. Why was she afraid? It wasn't of him really, but of his answer. But the one she got struck her dumb. He laughed. Joey laughed his heart out. Hand on his face, it was like he was trying to suppress the laughter. For some reason, her face flamed up even more. Was he mocking her? She didn't dare ask. When he finally calmed down, the blond boy grinned at her with a smiled she didn't know. She was used to his smug smirk when he was messing with her, but that... She'd need an adjustment period.

"I give up. I really am an idiot. I didn't get ya at all, did I Yug?" he said, that smile persistently staying on his face. But his eyes somehow had an air of sadness about them. If he weren't smiling, she'd probably think he was about to cry. "Ya're nothin' like I thought ya were."

Was he... telling her that they were on the same boat?

"Let me ask ya another question, Yug. Do ya think ya're worth less than me?"

"What?"

"Sorry, not a good example. Do ya think Kisa or Tea's better than ya?"

Stranger and stranger. Nonetheless, she took a moment to meditate on that question. But answering it, she felt like a huge weight was pressing on her shoulders and smiled bitterly. "Well, Kisa's very smart. I haven't found anything she's bad at. She takes care for everyone, she'd a good leader and she knows how to get things done. Tea's super confident, and she'd not afraid of saying what she thinks. She always pushes forward. Compared to them, all I'm good for is solving puzzles. But, I don't need anything more."

"Ya really are nothin' like I thought."

She frowned. "What did you think?"

"That ya were a wuss."

"But... I am."

"Na, ya're a wuss when it comes to yarself. When it's about anyone else, yar persistent like nothing I've ever seen. Even the jerk who messed with ya. Ya let me push ya around quietly, and then, ya came to find me in Hoshu. Ya saw my old man, ya saw the Wolves, ya knew how rotten the place was, but ya still came. Hell, ya're even more reckless than me! At fist I thought it was all for yar stupid puzzle. I still think ya're stupid. But ya ain't a coward."

"Do you hate cowards? Is that why you picked on me?"

His smile vanished, and he took another sip of his coke before he opened his mouth to speak again. But then his eyes looked above her and he closed it, his eyes narrowing. Confused, Yugi turned around to see what he was looking at. It was the curved mirror that allowed them to see the entrance of the restaurant and the register. A man in his forties, with red hair and a ponytail was talking to the cashier, probably taking his order. When Yugi turned back to Joey, his face was clearly filled with tension.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, leaning to the side to look at the actual entrance.

"Don't look," he ordered, almost whispering. "This guy is wanted for theft, assault and murder. His nickname is Jiro the yellow spider."

All of her muscles contracted and her heart skipped a beat. He looked serious. "H-how do you know?"

"Mai puts wanted posters on a board at Valentina's. Never thought me starin' at 'em would be helpful."

Despite the warmth of the room, Yugi started shivering and unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself. Knowing you have a criminal in the room seemed to generate cold sweat. "W-what do we do?"

"Pretend like we're done eatin' and get out. Then we call the cops."

"A-are you sure that's him?"

"Better safe than sorry."

She turned back to him when he put a hand on her shoulder. "We gotta act natural. If ya think ya're obvious just look elsewhere. Ready?"

Is anyone ever ready to for this kind of thing? Yugi was sure that if she had her grandfather's heart, she'd be having an attack right now. Clenching her empty cup to try and stabilize her hand, she nodded. But she felt incapable of moving. He must've seen it too, because he grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her out of her seat. She followed his lead, and focused her eyes on her feet.

"So, what about that puzzle of yours?" asked Joey, at normal volume this time, and with a cheerful voice. How was he doing that?

'Don't stutter, don't stutter, don't stutter!' she ordered herself, as her shaking doubled in intensity.

"Hum, well, I huh, I-I managed to put two pieces together."

"Only two?" he asked, as they tossed their leftovers in the trash. "How long d'that take ya?"

"Huh... s-six hours."

"Really? Ya that slow?"

"No, it's just a really hard one. But that's how I like them."

Talking about her puzzle was the right move. Her heart had slowed down, though it maintained a fast rhythm. She risked a glance at the man, who wasn't even looking in their direction. The door was there, so close. They'd reach it in a few seconds. Just a few more seconds.

"Hey!" suddenly shouted a voice from the other side of the restaurant. A man in a brown suit stood up from his seat and pointed at the one with the red hair. "I know you! You're that runaway thief, the one who killed five people!" He reached inside his pocket. "I'm calling the police."

"YA IDIOT!" shouted Joey.

Too late. The next thing they all knew, a gun shot resonated and the man in the brown coat's body hit the floor. Feeling her stomach turn, Yugi brought her hands to her mouth. The whole restaurant was silent for a few seconds, all clients and staff on their feet. A woman then screamed. The yellow spider then shouted.

"SHUT THE HELL UP, ALL OF YOU!" That earned him the attention of the room quickly. "The first looser that tries to leave or reach for a phone is toast, you hear?!"

He then turned around towards them, his eyes on Joey. "You already recognized me, didn't you kid?"

The spider pointed his gun at them and Yugi couldn't help the whimper of fear that escaped her lips. But Joey, instead of panicking, took a step forward, unshaken. That made the criminal smirk.

"You got balls kid, I'll give you that. Too bad for you that idiot had to open his mouth. I guess it's my lucky day and not yours." Turning back to everyone, he shouted another order. "Everyone, hit the ground! Any funny business, and I'll send you to hell! That means you too, kid."

Without taking his eyes off the yellow spider, Joey grabbed her arm again and both got on the floor, as the man had ordered. Once everyone imitated sat down at a table where he could see everyone and took out a pack of cigarette.

"Well, since this joint has crappy service, I guess I'll just have a drink before leaving. Let's see..." he looked at his hostages on the ground, one by one. Yugi was now shaking so hard, that even her teeth chattered. That familiar feeling of wanting to disappear was now more present than ever before. Her eyes were watering and even though she was panting, it felt like she was barely getting enough oxygen. Then, she felt something warm on her back. It felt good. She wanted a whole cover of that wrapping her up, reassuring her.

"You, Shorty," called out Jiro, roughly pulling her out of her thoughts.

Her insides froze and she gulped before looking up. He was indeed looking at her. "Go to the kitchen and bring me some booze and something to light my cig."

The shaking never leaving, Yugi slowly got to her feet. Looking at her classmate, she hoped to find some advice, but she found herself unable to read his face.

"You might want to speed up, sweetie. If you take more than three minutes, your boyfriend's next. Get moving."

She quickly nodded before running to the kitchen once there, she quickly found the bottles. But as she looked around for matches or gas lighter, her mind raced. What should she do? There was a window in the kitchen. The right move was to call for help. But no way was that happening in three minutes. Her heart was racing again, so much that her head spun. And she felt like passing out. What could she do?

 _Don't worry_

Jumping, she looked around. But no one was there. "H-hello?"

"Better hurry kid!" shouted Jiro, from the other room. "One minute left."

Quickly, she opened another drawer and found a lighter. Her hands shook though and when she grabbed it it fell on the ground. Suddenly, it felt like hands were holding by the arms. Something was here, there was a presence. She whipped around, but no one was there. But she still felt the hands on her.

"What's happening?" she muttered.

 _Don't worry. I'll protect you._

* * *

 **Oh oh, trouble! PLEASE REVIEW!**

 **So guys, I'm actually currently in an updating war with one of my favorite authors of all times, LoweFantasy! That's why I'm speeding! She writes amazing Yugioh fanfics, such as A walk by Dragon, Erase me and Blood Chain (they're. pure. GOLD!) So if you like my story, you will probably adore hers. I recommend checking her out! ;)**


	8. Fallen boundaries

**Darn it! Two minutes after midnight! Shoot! Oh well, better luck next time. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Still laying on the floor, Joey couldn't help but curse under his breath. How were they going to get out of this mess? The yellow spider probably wouldn't stick around for too long, but as insurance, he'd probably take a hostage. These bastards were all the same. He'd seen them a dozen times in Hoshu. To top it all off, Jiro was keeping a constant eye on him

'Darn it!'

Jiro looked at his watch and smirked at him. "Your girlfriend sure is taking her time. Maybe she doesn't like you as much as she claims." He chuckled before shouting. "Better hurry kid! One minute left!"

Clenching his teeth, the blond boy looked around the room as discreetly as possible. The windows didn't open and they seemed to thick to break. The only real way out was the door but unless he could go faster than a speeding bullet, that was also a no-go. Then, Yugi came out of the kitchen, walking slowly and carrying a tray with not one but two bottles and a glass on it. One that's tag said whisky and one tag-less, with transparent liquid, most likely water. She was shaking. The glass of the bottles hitting against one another repeatedly betrayed that. Joey bit his lower lip. He needed to think and fast. But what could he do? Meanwhile, the shorty made her way to the table where the man was sitting.

"Took you long enough," declared the yellow spider, smirking at her. "I almost had to send your boy to his grave."

"I-I brought some w-water too," she said, her voice shaking as much as her body.

As she laid down the tray on the table, she accidentally knocked down the water bottle. An incredible reflex allowed her to keep it from falling, but not before some splashed on the criminal's sleeve. She froze up as an uncomfortable smirk crept up Jiro's face. Suddenly, seizing her by the collar, he pulled her closer to his face.

"Are you trying to be funny, girl?" he asked, his voice dripping with either anger or amusement, she couldn't tell.

"I-I'm sorry..." she replied, her voice barely a whisper.

"What's that?" he said, raising his gun with his free hand. "I couldn't hear you right."

The boy's body jolted when he saw the weapon, and he rose up. "Son of a bitch! Let her go!"

Jiro fired and the bullet grazed his face before crashing in the wall, freezing him on the spot.

"Stay put, kid. Otherwise, I really am going to blow her head up."

Reluctantly, and with rage burning bright in his eyes, he got back on the floor. Meanwhile, Jiro's smirk widened and turned back to Yugi. "Now what were you saying, sweetie?"

"I'm sorry!" she shouted, in panic, shutting her eyes.

"That's better." Satisfied, the man released her. "Sit down with me, let's chat for a bit."

Still shaking like a leaf, the short girl sat on the bench facing him. Joey bit his lower lip again. She was terrified, anyone could see that. It was a miracle she could even move, with how much pressure that lowlife was putting on her. She clenched her hands together and stared down, before the bastard ordered her to look at him in the eye. Again, it seemed to take everything she had. Something hit the boy in that moment. Was that how she looked from afar when he'd pushed her around? It couldn't have been that bad. Could it? His thoughts were interrupted when Jiro spoke to her again.

"Here's what's going to happen. After I have my drink, you and I are going to go for a ride for a little while. Play nice with me until we get out of this city, and I'll let you go without a scratch. You're not gonna make a fuss, are you?"

Again, she looked down, and shook her head. What else could she do? Joey bit down on his lip so hard, he tasted blood. He had to do something before that happened! For crying out loud, the guy was a murderer! He could snap her neck in seconds, or worse.

"Come to think of it," suddenly said Jiro, taking a cigarette out of his pack, "didn't I ask you to bring me a light, too?"

What happened next surprised Joey. Yugi reached inside her pocket and pulled out an old lighter, but instead of just giving it to the criminal, she lit it and stood up, approaching it from the man's face. The bastard seemed to enjoy the service and leaned forward as well to make his cigarette touch the flame. He exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"If you're this helpful, I might keep you around a little longer."

She didn't reply and instead... dropped the lighter on his wet sleeve which immediately caught on fire. Joey's mouth practically hit the floor beneath him. That water was Russian vodka or something like that. Jiro grunted in surprise and pain.

"You little bitch!"

Dropping his gun on the table, he quickly rubbed his burning arm to kill the flame. That only took him a few seconds, but those were plenty enough for Yugi to grab the weapon. Getting out of the bench and backing a little further in the restaurant, she raised the gun towards him. Once the fire put out, Jiro also stood up and faced her. At first, he grimaced when he saw the gun pointed towards him. But when he saw how much she was shaking and the pure shock on her face, his nasty smirk returned.

"Come on, sweetie. We both know you don't have what it takes to pull the trigger."

"S-Stay back..." she said, taking herself a step back.

He laughed at her before slowly taking a step forward. "Have you ever killed someone? Dirtied the floor and the walls with bits of brains and organs? Painting the ceiling with red stains? A real, bloody circus show."

At every sentence, he took another step forward while she took one back. Fighting against the impulse to rush in there, Joey watched. Watched and waited for the way to be cleared and for Jiro to be distracted by his own declaiming of the rush of bloody murder. And the instant the way was clear, the boy sprang up, seized the unopened whisky bottle and smashed it on the back of the criminal's head. Without an ugly grunt, the yellow spider passed out before he even crashed face first on the floor. A long silence followed the crash, and Joey held his breath as he waited for the guy to move. But he didn't. Dropping whatever he had left of the shattered bottle on the floor, he shouted.

"Someone call the cops and an ambulance! Quick!"

Seeing a woman take out her phone while everyone else stood up and headed for the exit, the blond rushed to his classmate.

* * *

Letting herself fall on her knees, Yugi gripped the gun in her hands tighter. Her panting was painful, and her heart, hammering against her chest. She didn't understand. The threat had been eliminated, so why did she feel like this? Everything was so distant, and yet so close. Everything she'd done... the vodka, the fire, the gun... That hadn't been her idea. Not her plan. So why had she done it? It was like she couldn't stop herself. And that's what scared her the most. Her teeth shattered, accompanying the tremors of her body. And she was cold. So cold. A sudden hand on her shoulder made her jump.

"Yugi? Yugi can ya here me?" She heard him loud and clear, but didn't even look at him. Like any move she made risked putting more pressure on the trigger.

An arm then wrapped around her shoulders. The warmth from before was back, comforting her. Simultaneously, Joey put his free hand on her clenched ones. "It's okay, Yug, it's over now."

Slowly, he slid his hand from hers to the gun barrel that he grabbed and gently pulled on it. Still trembling, her hands slowly detached themselves from the gun. The boy ripped it out of her grasp the instant her index finger was off the trigger and put the safety back on.

"Yug? Talk to me, say somethin'." He said, gently shaking her. "Anythin'."

She whispered something barely audible and even she had a hard time knowing what it was. Her eyes were glued to the passed out criminal. What if he got up? Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her, because she thought she saw him move. Joey grabbed her elbow and pulled her to her feet.

"Come on, let's go."

The police and the ambulance arrived pretty quickly. Still deep in her thoughts, she wasn't really paying attention to the people moving her around. Before she knew it, she was sitting in the back of an ambulance, a security blanket on her shoulder, as a doctor was checking her tension.

"You're all good," said the woman, smiling at her.

"Where is Joey? The blond boy with the jean jacket."

"He's still talking to the officer over there." She took down a couple of notes, before handing her a small card. "Physically, you're fine. But if you start having insomnia, nightmares or unexplained fears and stress, call this number. It's our hospital's psychology branch. We can't rule out trauma. What you've gone through was pretty rough."

"Okay," she replied putting the card away. "Thank you."

"No problem. Stay under the cover as long as you want. Where can I reach your parents?"

"Hum, I'll walk home. I don't live far..."

"Sorry honey, you're a minor. I need to make sure a parent or legal guardian gets a hold of you. Do you have a cellphone?"

Reluctantly, Yugi reached for her bag that Joey had brought back for her and took out her phone.

"That won't be necessary, Doc."

Interrupting her typing, Yugi saw the blond boy coming to them. He was smiling. That smug smile that usually meant trouble for her. At least it had for a while.

"I'm a legal adult. Now, if ya don't mind, we gotta go home. Ya ready, sis?"

"Oh, you two are siblings?" Said the woman surprised, looking back and forth.

Yugi held her breath. Of course the doctor wouldn't be fooled, they looked nothing alike. But at the same time, she really wanted to avoid panicking her grandfather over the phone. The poor man had a heart condition to deal with already. She'd rather tell him face to face, when he could clearly see that she was fine.

"You look nothing alike..." said the doctor, frowning.

So much for that plan, thought Yugi. But Joey's smile only got wider. "Yeah, well, half siblings don't always. Specially when they take after their different mothers."

Surprisingly, the woman smiled back. "I know what you mean. My step sisters and I don't look the same at all. Well, you can go when you feel well enough, take your time. Be careful on your way back. Also, you might want to pass behind the trucks if you want to avoid those press vultures."

With that, she walked away to tend to other people. Eyes still wide, Yugi watched her go. She couldn't believe that had worked. Stranger even, when she turned back to Joey, he was still smiling at her.

"Wanna bail?"

Unsure of what to answer and still shocked by his behavior, she just nodded and grabbed her bag. After carefully maneuvering behind the ambulances to avoid the photographers and curious eyes, they walked slowly. And Yugi couldn't help but glance at Joey and every time, be surprised at how calm he was.

"Why did you lie to the doctor?" she asked.

"It saved us both time," he explained. "And so that my old man won't hear about it."

"How do you do that?"

"Hm? Do what?" he replied, confused.

"How are you not freaked out?!"

"I was," he said. "I'm just more used to seein' that stuff than ya. Honest though, ya scared the crap out o' me Yug. If this day was all about provin' me wrong 'bout ya, then it worked. Never would've thought ya could pull somethin' like that."

That was just it though. She hadn't pulled it off. Not really. Her body had moved on it's own. She remembered grabbing the whisky bottle and then laying eyes on the transparent one. How had she known that it contained vodka? Maybe her unconscious had registered things her consciousness couldn't? It was like something else in here had known. The presence she'd felt... had it only been an illusion? A defense mechanism or something like that?

"Ya really are somethin' else," continued Joey, still smiling.

For once, Yugi found herself unable to smile back. Her legs and arms might have stopped trembling, but her stomach was still tight. "I didn't even know what I was doing. It was like someone else was using my body. I... was scared..."

"I hope ya were! It wouldn't have been normal is ya hadn't." His smile slowly faded and he looked up ahead. "Ya asked me if I hated ya cause you were weak."

"Do you?"

"No. I don't hate ya. Never have."

"Then, why?"

"The world ain't a fairy tail, Yug. What happened today, is only a bit of it. I've seen it all. Beat downs, drugs, traffic, prostitution, alcoholism... And if ya find yourself facin' it, alone, with no one to back ya up, y'are gonna get hurt. Life's a bully, ya gotta push back. People like ya, who're willing to trust everythin' and everyone are easy targets."

Yugi didn't consider herself especially smart, but this time she was certain. There was more. His words were a barrier, blocking something else. Something bad. It was impossible to miss that shadow on his face. His eyes were clouded by an old pain that remained vivid somehow. But at the same time, something pinched her heart. She finally had it. The real answer to her question. In fact, she'd had it the moment Jiro stepped into the restaurant.

"You wanted me to protect myself," she let out, wondering how the hell she could've missed that.

"Why the past tense? Ya still don't give a damn about yarself, Yug." He said, scolding her. "It's nice that ya got Tea and the class rep. Hell, even moneybags. But they can't be here all the time, and no offense, but ya attract trouble like flies to honey."

She waited a couple of seconds before asking. "What happened to you, Joey?"

He scoffed. "Me? Nothin'. I've always been able to look after myself."

The long moment of silence following made it clear that he wouldn't go any further into the subject. And so, silently they walked. Then, she realized something. A small smile finally made it's way to her face and she let out a little laugh. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"What's so funny?"

"I was right. There is a lot more to you than I thought too."

He seemed taken aback and looked away. "Like I said, way too nice, even to the jerk who bullied ya..."

He called himself her bully now? That was a first. And kind of awkward, actually. Today was just as enlightening for her as it had been for him it seemed.

"So... what advice do you give a coward like me?" she asked, half-joking.

"Try likin' yarself a little better, short stuff. That's a pretty good start."

It was her turn to look away to hide the fact that her face was heating up. Like yourself better? Her friends were always encouraging her to be more confident, but no one had ever phrased it like that. And it was Joey none the less! Of all the things... This day had turned to be extremely perilous and productive at the same time. Joey let out a sigh and stopped.

"Man, this is awkward."

"No kidding," she replied, passing a hand through her hair.

"No, I meant I've no idea where we're goin'."

She looked around. They had randomly followed the river trail ever since they'd left the restaurant. "Oh. Right. Hum, I should probably head home. You should too..."

The words left her mouth before she could stop them, but she still brought her hand to her mouth and threw him an apologetic look. He only chuckled back, but it didn't seem to be out of amusement. Now that she focused on it, his face was covered in bandages.

"Don't sweat it. I'll walk ya home."

Her first reflex would've been to refuse, but then she thought, the longer he stayed with her, the longer he was away from his father. Leading the way this time, she dared to ask.

"D-Did your father do that to you? I-I mean, every time?"

"Most of 'em."

"But... that cut on your temple... It looks like..."

"A knife cut? It is."

Why the hell was he so calm about this?!

"Joey, he's torturing you. That's not right."

"Let it go Yug," he said. "I've lived all my life with the crazy bastard. I can hold out a couple more months until I turn eighteen."

"But..."

Before she could continue her sentence, she found herself in a head lock as the boy messed with her hair. "Worry bout yar own butt for a change, shorty," said the boy, a grin on his face.

"Ow! Stop!"

He released her instantly, but added a flick to her nose. "I'll be fine. Always am."

It seemed that this conversation was also closed. That didn't mean it was going to prevent her from worrying. When she looked up again, the game shop was in sight.

"You live here?!" exclaimed her classmate. "Holy! That's awesome! Now I know where ya get yar game obsession." His face then darkened. "Did your folks win the lottery recently?"

She raised an eyebrow. "No, why?"

"Because either ya suddenly have enough cash to buy a limo, or moneybags is here."

"What?!"

Looking up, she indeed saw the familiar black limo parked further down the street. That couldn't be good. What could Kaiba want, showing up without any warning? Maybe Kisa and Tea had been worried and called him, or something like that. Whatever it was, if the young CEO saw Joey, it wouldn't end well. She was about to tell the boy to leave quickly, when the door of the game shop opened. If glares could kill, both of them would've been struck dead. Kaiba made his way to them. Yugi quickly took a step closer.

"Kaiba, it's not what you think..."

"Oh yeah? Because I think you were involved in a shoot-out this afternoon." His eyes threw daggers at Joey. "And that you were with him."

"H-How do you know..."

"It's called the media, Yugi. Did you think I wouldn't hear about it?"

"I-I was never going to hide it!"

"You know, I'm so inclined to believing you..." he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"It's true!"

"Hey, lay off, Kaiba," said Joey, stepping closer. "She ain't done anythin' wrong."

"She was with you. In my book, that's an offense."

"We were just talkin'. It's got nothin' to do with ya, so why don't ya back off, rich boy?"

A smirk made it's way to Kaiba's face, though it didn't make the anger decrease one bit. "Go right ahead. Then I can sue you for assault this time, and you'll never set foot in any school, ever again. Look forward to seeing your sorry ass beg in the streets."

"Kaiba!" exclaimed Yugi, scandalized. But neither were listening.

"Careful what ya wish for, moneybags..."

"Enough!" Ordered a voice behind them.

Solomon stepped out of the house, and approached the group of teenagers. His face was marked with a look Yugi hadn't seen in a very long time. Anger. She'd lived her entire life with her grandfather, and since she was a relatively calm person, Solomon must have gotten angry at her very few times. This time, she felt the storm. She opened her mouth to say something, but raising a hand, he ordered her to stay quiet and looked straight at Joey.

"Are you Joseph Wheeler?" he asked, calmly but firmly.

Judging from the young man's face, he knew what was coming. "Yes, Sir."

"You're the one who's been harassing my granddaughter."

It wasn't a question this time, but Joey still answered. "Yes."

Solomon, took a dee breath, loaded with rising rage. But he slowly walked over to the blond and slapped him as hard as he could. And for his age, it really wasn't half bad.

"If you ever approach Yugi, ever again, I will call the police. Get out of my sight."

"Grandpa! It's not what you think..."

The old man finally turned to her, freezing her on the spot with his glare of disappointment. "You be quiet."

"But..."

Surprisingly, the one interrupting her was Joey. "Don't worry. Ya won't have to worry about me anymore."

Without adding anything, or even throwing a last look at her, the boy turned around and walked away quickly. Solomon didn't waste anytime.

"Go inside," he ordered. "You're not coming out of that room until I say so. Go. Now!"

Yugi looked at Kaiba, who also had those accusative eyes on her. Shaking her head at him, she went inside and left the two men to talk. Once in her room, she closed the door. Just when her problems were beginning to disappear... She sighed. Today had already put too much stress on her and now this? Thank you Kaiba. Why did he have to rat her out? She was tired of this, but there was nothing more she could do today. Grabbing her puzzle, she scattered the pieces on her desk and sat, diving into her game world.

No strange presence came to bother her this time at least.

* * *

 **And... more problems, just what we needed. Now, who wants to see Marika and Bakura plotting?**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	9. Disequilibrium

**AHA! Before midnight, AND, before Monday! I finally did it!**

 **Lowe! I win the bet! Ya better pay up!**

 **Everyone else, enjoy!**

* * *

Perfect. As usual, everything was going smoothly. The numbers were stable, the revenue, off the chart, and there had been practically zero drops in business for the past days. This was what Kaiba would describe as a good but extremely boring day. Keeping his company on top was always a priority but the lack of challenge was like an insult to his genius. And today was all but stimulating. That also meant there was nothing to distract him from his very irritated thoughts that revolved around a certain short girl and a blond nuisance. He didn't understand what her deal was. The mutt had been nothing but a jerk since the beginning, and it pained Kaiba to admit that it'd taken him that long to realize what was up with Yugi and deal with it. But now, she was just making it that much more difficult. What in the world was wrong with her? She couldn't possibly have developed Stockholm's syndrome with this guy. Knowing her, she probably just felt sorry for him and his crap life and wanted to pat him in the back. What an idiot. At least, from what Solomon had told him, he'd kept her in her room the entire time. His desk phone beeped, pulling him out of his annoyed thoughts.

"What is it?" he almost snapped.

" _Mr Kaiba, there's someone here to see you,"_ said the secretary. _"I believe she goes to your school. I told her you were busy, should I turn her away?"_

"No, send her up."

That was surprising. Kisa usually waited for after school hours to bring him his work, and it was barely half past two. Either a teacher was absent and they had free period, or she ditched because there was something important she needed to tell him. But the first option was more likely. That reminded him that he had to check that Yugi got home. To his surprise, when he checked the tracking app on his phone, he saw that she was already home. It seemed school had ended earlier than that. Still, the coincidence made him frown. Maybe Solomon hadn't let her go to school at all. It wouldn't be surprising, given what he'd told the old man. Someone suddenly knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The door was pushed open, and though he showed none of it, he was surprised to find not Kisa, but his rival standing in the doorway. Unlike usual, she didn't have that goofy smile of hers and didn't greet him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, knowing now that she'd left her phone at home.

"We need to talk," she replied. "Are you busy?"

Instead of replying, the young billionaire got up from his desk and walked over to another part of the room where there were book shelves on the walls, couches, and a low tea table with a board of chess on it. He sat down in one of the couches and gestured for her to come closer. She sat down facing him and opened her mouth to speak, but before any words could come out, he grabbed a white pawn and moved it.

"Kaiba, I want to talk, not play," she said.

"You can do both, can't you?"

She sighed again, but gave in and moved a pawn of her own as well. "Why did you rat me out?"

"I think that's pretty obvious," he replied irritated, moving another pawn. "Or do you need me to make a list of the things that are wrong with you?"

"I want to hear it from you," she insisted, grabbing her knight.

"Why were you with that idiot?"

The game was on. And he was making the first move, by trying to take control of the situation by becoming the interrogator. Fine. For now, she'd let him. Kaiba wanted to turn this into a real battle? Then he was going to get one. Because she didn't intend to back down from this. She moved her knight again.

"Because I wanted to talk to him about something."

"About what?"

"I wanted him to tell me why he picked on me."

If he hadn't been Seto Kaiba, he might have face-palmed. She could read in his eyes what he was thinking. What kind of screwed up logic was that?

"Since when do bullies need a reason to bully?" He growled, moving his bishop to the center of the board. "You were an easy target, and he got off on that. End of story."

"You're wrong," she said.

"How so?"

"He told me why he did it. And I was right. He's not a bad person."

Now, he couldn't help but let annoyance show on his face. "Let me guess, he came to you with a puppy dog face and you just believed whatever came out of his mouth. I already knew you were naive beyond humanely possible, but that tops anything I ever heard you say."

He grabbed his knight and slammed it onto another square of the board. She slightly jumped and felt her face heat up, like every time someone reprimanded her for something. But biting her lips, she forbade herself to apologize. She wasn't here for that. She moved another of her pawns.

"I didn't come here to convince you of my opinion of Joey," she said, looking up at him. "You're too blinded by your own hatred for that."

His hand, that was about to grab one of his pawns, froze in the air, and he looked at her with his steel blue eyes, that could usually see right through her. His glare still made her insides tighten, but she refused to let that stop her. Still, she couldn't help the slight stutter when she spoke.

"I-I want you to leave me alone."

A long moment of silence went by, with neither of them averting eyes. Since he still didn't spoke, she wondered if he'd heard her corectly. She knew all too well of her tendency to lower her voice when she was 'demanding things' from others. But he found his voice quickly enough, right after moving his other knight.

"Define, leave you alone."

He wasn't an idiot, he knew exactly what she meant. Moving her queen, she replied. "Stop monitoring my phone, and let me deal with Joey on my own."

"Out of the question," he shot down immediately, moving a tower and taking one of her knights. "You're getting manipulated by that guy every step of the way, and you're too naive to see a bus heading at full speed towards you. Forget it."

She moved a pawn, but she looked back down at the board when she said this next sentence. "I'm not asking Kaiba..."

"You can't take care of yourself."

"I was dealing with it fine before you decided to tell Grandpa."

"Oh, you mean when you got taken hostage by a murderer?"

"That wasn't Joey's fault," she insisted again, moving her bishop to take a pawn. "Besides, I was the one who suggested we go to Burger World, not him."

Pulling back from the game and crossing his arms on his chest, the young CEO threw her a death glare. "And what, pray tell, exactly did the mutt say to you?"

"He wanted me to defend myself."

That was the one thing she was certain of. Joey may be a clumsy idiot, but he wasn't a liar. Her previous experience with bullies spoke volumes to her. She didn't believe him because she pitied him. But to convince the stubborn Kaiba, words were not enough. The young man, clearly fuming, moved his bishop to take one of her knights.

"I don't know how the hell he managed to put all of this in your brain, but as long as you believe that crap, there is no way I'm going to let you jump headfirst in the fire."

In other words, she could send her request to hell. "I know you don't believe me. But like I said, I want you to stop trying to make things worse for him."

"And here we go with the pity treatment again," he said, rolling his eyes. "I didn't take you for a masochist."

Her cheeks flamed up at the insulting remark. "What?!"

"You liked it when he pushed you around? If that was it, you should've just said so."

This was so shocking, even coming from him, that the short girl couldn't help but stand, bewildered. "Of course not! How can you say that?"

"Give me another reason that's just as good."

"Isn't wanting to understand someone better not a good reason for you?" she exclaimed. "Joey is not who everyone thinks he is, Kaiba."

"He's a lowlife with a crap life that has nothing better to do with his time than pick on weaklings and who's now trying to get rid of his own guilt by sucking up to you. That's exactly what he is," he replied, verbally murdering the absent boy. "I'm not changing my mind."

So that was it? He would just keep spying and monitoring her until she agreed with him? In that moment, Tea's words were more justified than ever. This was tyrannical! Legally speaking, she was right as well, but how could she just sue him for this? She'd thought they were reasonable enough to discuss. But she realized that he saw her as irresponsible as a child. She needed to remind him that she wasn't one.

"Kaiba, you can't keep controlling me like this. You're not my grandfather."

"I do until I'm sure you stay away from that guy for good."

"Friends don't do that to each other!"

"We are not friends, Yugi!" he shouted, finally exploding and rising from his seat as well. "We're rivals. You're a long term investment that I intend to keep around for as long as necessary. And I won't let some street mutt with life issues compromise this. Not as long as I have anything to say about it. We're done here."

Gone. She'd spend the entire weekend preparing herself to talk to him, knowing there was no way the prideful billionaire would be easy to reason with. But everything she'd prepared was now gone from her mind, crushed by those words. Staring at him, face struck by shock, she failed to pick up on the fact that he had looked away first for the first time since they'd met. She didn't even realize that she'd seated back down, until she reached for her bag and walked out of the office.

Once the door closed, the young CEO sat back down in his couch. His face remained as serious as ever, but something inside was boiling. His eyes then fell on the chess board. The sight of the incomplete game was the final straw. With a formidable backhand, he knocked the pieces off the table.

* * *

Until now, Yugi never knew how much self-control she really had. But she managed to cross the labyrinth of hallways of the Kaiba Corps central, take the elevator down the one hundred and forty eight floors, exit the building and find herself inside the park she usually crossed to get home before she allowed the tears stinging her eyes to show. Granted she'd been holding her breath most of the time. Thankfully, there weren't many people around at this hour. A few elderly and young mothers with their babies. The short girl found herself a bench away from prying eyes, to finally let loose and become a disgusting fountain of snot and tears. She'd known him for over a year now, and she thought she'd seen the extent of his harshness. That was her mistake. Never had he been this cruel to her.

'Jerk face!'

Everything Joey had done to her was not nearly as painful as having someone she cared about say something like that to her. But he was right about one thing; she'd been naive. Naive to think he'd be as understanding as her friends with just a bit of convincing. Kisa and even Tea had listened to her story and her thoughts about Joey. Despite still holding him responsible for making her life miserable, they'd listened. All this time, she'd thought Kaiba was looking out for her in his own extreme way. But after calling her an investment, she wasn't sure.

'That's all I ever was to him?'

When she was finished dehydrating herself with crying, she sighed, missing her phone. She wanted to talk to her friends. She needed advice now. To deal with Kaiba at least. She had her grandfather to worry about too. The old man hadn't spoken to her all weekend. But now, she was scared that he would believe Kaiba over her. A sighed escaped her. If she wasn't a liar, then she sure as hell was good at keeping things and making others worry about her. Should she tell him about Kaiba then? She regretted the thought instantly. Adding fuel probably wouldn't help. Her wandering thoughts kept her from noticing the sneaky figure approaching until they seized her bag and dashed.

"Hey! My bag!" she exclaimed, jumping from her bench.

Her puzzle was in there! Adrenaline immediately pumped through her body and she was ready to sacrifice her legs to catch up to the thief. But she'd only taken a few strides when the culprit tripped on an extended leg and crashed face first onto the ground, dropping the bag.

"Next time you want to try stealing from a girl, remember that karma is a thing. Get lost, miscreant."

The thief hurried to his feet and ran away, leaving his prize behind. The young man looked about Yugi's age, but he was clearly not from around here. He had dark skin, purple eyes, and almost white blond hair. Appearance wise, he reminded her of Shadi, for the Eastern European look. The one thing that shocked her the most though was the fact that he was wearing the Domino High uniform. He knelt down and started picking up the spilled contents of her bag. Getting over the fact that he'd used the word 'miscreant', she approached and helped him.

"Thank you."

"No problem," he replied. "I saw that you were wearing the same uniform as me. Do you go to Domino High?"

"Yes," she said. "My name is Yugi Muto. I've never seen you before. I don't want to be rude, but you're hard to miss."

"That's probably because today was my first day," he explained smiling, as he picked up another notebook. "I'm Marik Ishtar. Nice to meet you, Yugi."

"Likewise," she answered smiling, before sniffling reflexively.

"Had a rough time?"

"Oh, it's nothing," she said, using her sleeve to wipe her eyes. "I'm not having the best of days."

He seemed to freeze, but she soon realized it was not because of her words, but because he had his eyes on the golden box in her bag. Just like her the first time, he seemed to be hypnotized.

"Could it be..." he muttered to himself, as he slowly extended a hand towards it.

A shiver of urgency crawled up Yugi's spine and almost compulsively, she grabbed her bag and brought it to her. He took back his hand, in a reassuring manner.

"I'm sorry," apologized Marik. "It's just that your box looks like a Millennium item."

It was her turn to freeze in shock. Had she heard correctly? "Did you just say... Millennium items?"

Marik smiled and offered her a hand to help her up, that she took. "My father was a historian back in my home country of Egypt. According to legend, they were golden items holding mystic powers that allowed a powerful Pharaoh to protect the country, five thousand years ago."

"Grandpa never told me about this," said Yugi. "He's the one who gave me my puzzle. He used to be an archeologist."

"Than that's quite the treasure he found. If that is what I think it is."

Mystic powers? Another shiver travelled up her spine when she remembered her strange encounter with Shadi. But Marik then rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously. "Oh, well maybe I am mistaken and bothering you with a five thousand year old legend for nothing. Forgive me."

"Actually, could you tell me more?" she asked. "Grandpa called it the Millennium puzzle. What are the other items?"

"Let's see," he said bringing his hand to his chin. "Well, my father said that there were a total of seven items. And each bearer was given a different gift. For example, the one who held the Millennium necklace was granted the gift of foresight into the future and the past."

This was just a legend this guy was talking about. Just because the items existed, didn't mean the whole mystic bit was real. It couldn't be. But somehow she still felt the need to question him. A familiar unease was slowly starting to set in her insides. She hoped that she was just being paranoid.

'Please let it be just that,' she silently pleaded.

"The Scales were used to measure the amount of darkness within a person's heart, I believe."

She would've cursed herself for jinxing herself, but she was too busy trying not to believe what he was saying. She'd tried her best to forget her encounter with Shadi, and now someone was randomly showing up to tell her everything had really happened?

"Is there a key by any chance?" she asked, though she really didn't want to know the answer.

"You have good intuition. The Key is suppose to grant access to the soul of a person, and their secrets."

Hearing this, she had trouble swallowing her own spit. What in the world was she hearing? These were just stories. Shadi couldn't have been more than a hardcore cosplayer way too into his thing or a complete lunatic who believed all of that. Him stepping out of the ground, turning her straps into bonds... That wasn't real.

"Are you alright?" asked Marik, waving a hand in front of her face. "You seem a bit distracted. Are you ill?"

"N-No. Well, I don't feel very good," she confessed. "I should probably head home. I guess I'll see you around school."

"Indeed. Goodbye Yugi."

She threw him one last smile before throwing her bag over her shoulder and quickly walking away. The Egyptian boy watched her walk away until she disappeared completely from his sight, while a smirk crept up his face. He heard the footsteps approaching behind him, but kept his eyes on the petite girl.

"Well, what do you think?" asked Bakura.

"She's a perfect fit, I couldn't have asked for a better sacrifice." He raised a shaking hand to his face. "I could almost feel the purity of her soul, it's frightening. Now, all we have to do is make sure she completes the puzzle in time for the awakening."

"I thought we were suppose to be discreet," growled the British boy. "Why did you tell her about the items?"

His companion turned to him, throwing him an evil grin. "From what you told me, she's already started putting the puzzle back together. Soon the powers of shadows will awaken. Who do you think she'll come running to when needing answers?"

Bakura's face was struck by surprise for a moment, but quickly enough he mirrored Marik's grin. "Cunning. I like it. You're not as stupid as you seem, Tomb Keeper."

Marik's smile vanished. "Any progress on Pegasus?"

"Easier said than done," growled Bakura. "The Ring is definitely pointing in direction of his mansion but as long at the place is guarded by technology instead of people, I won't be able to get in there anytime soon."

"I see. In that case, we'll just have to be a bit smarter. Pegasus is a collector, isn't he?"

"Yeah, of old antiquities. Got another idea?"

"This one should be surprisingly easy," said Marik. "But let's wait a bit for our pure of heart to complete a bit more of the puzzle. I will ask Odion to make the necessary preparations. Let's return."

The Tomb Keeper and the Thief King started walking back towards the exit of the park.

"By the way," started Bakura, "you might to brush up your vocabulary. You sound like you're from two damn centuries ago. But I guess living in a cave all your life does that."

"Says the man born over five thousand years ago."

"Perks of inhabiting the body of someone from this century."

* * *

Yugi made it home pretty quickly, after spending the entire way beating herself up for having asked those questions to the new guy. Was she trying to freak herself out? In any case, she had other things to deal with than crazy stories and lunatics. Pushing the door close, she called out.

"Grandpa, I'm home."

No answer. In the kitchen, she found a note on the table, telling her the old man was out for some grocery shopping, and that he wanted a text from her the moment she was back. Picking up the blue device, she sent the message and went back up to her room. After finishing her homework and studying for her math test on Friday, she took out her puzzle again. Being locked up all weekend, she'd had nothing better to do than work on it. So she'd managed to complete three sides of the base. If anything, she was proud of her work. But she really wasn't in the mood for games. Kaiba's words were still so present in her mind, and her eyes watered from thinking about it.

"Just a long term investment..."

Grabbing her phone again, she looked for Kisa's number through her contacts when her phone suddenly started ringing.

"Unknown number?" She pressed the answer button. "Yugi Muto speaking."

" _Yugi! Oh, thank goodness,"_ said a feminine voice. _"Glad I got through to you."_

It took Yugi a moment to remember who that voice belonged to. "Miss Mai?"

" _Miss?"_ responded the woman on the other side, clearly offended. _"It's just Mai, but never mind that. I need your help, it's an emergency. I'm so sorry, I wouldn't be asking if I didn't need to."_

"Is everything okay?"

" _It's about Joey. Something's up."_

* * *

 **Geez, Kaiba you're such a jerk! But isn't that how we love him?**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	10. Behind the smile

**Hey guys! Back to Monday updates. Last time was to win a be, but no worries. I'll be as regular as possible! I'm not sure where I was going with this chapter, but it turned out like this. Hope you like it anyways!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Please Tea, I need you to do this for me," pleaded Yugi as she looked out the bus window.

" _Not unless you tell me exactly what you're up to,"_ insisted her friend on the other side of the line. _"All the secrecy is telling me your going to see Joey. If you're going to Hoshu, there is no way that I'm..."_

"No, I promise I'm not," interrupted her friend. "I'm going to the old harbor, and I won't be alone. I'll be back before nightfall I promise."

Tea sighed, making her hold her breath. Out of her two best friends, Tea was clearly the one who was the hardest to convince when it came to Joey. Yugi wasn't sure she'd entirely kicked out the idea of him being nothing but a bully out of her head. But after a moment of silence, she spoke again.

" _Alright, fine. But you better be home on time."_

"Thanks Tea, I owe you big time."

" _You bet your crazy hair, you do! Be careful Yugi. Really."_

"I will," she promised. "Thanks again. Bye."

With that, the shorty ended the call just as the bus stopped at her destination. As expected she was the only one to get off at this stop. This was the furthest that the bus went. It was literally called the Old Harbor. As the name stated, fifty years ago, the harbor was moved further up the coast and this places had become abandoned. Since it was pretty far from the center of the city, no one ever came here. Yugi herself had never been here. There were a bunch of hangars, a boat land parking, and a container zone, all abandoned. She made her way to the edge of the water and walked alongside it, looking at the old place. Blades of grass had grown in between the cracks of the old concrete. The metal of the abandoned boats had rusted so much, that it was entirely bronze colored now. The place was deserted, but seagulls were fishing in the water and flying around. Compared to the heavy and choking atmosphere of Hoshu, this was peaceful. Though awfully lonely.

"Yugi!"

Pulled out of her thoughts, she looked up. In front of the last hanger, the owner of Valentina's waved at her. Yugi jogged to get to her faster.

"Miss... I mean, Mai," she said, raising the plastic bag she was carrying. "I brought what you asked for."

"Thank you so much, he owes you one."

Yugi followed the woman inside Hangar 24, wondering what could possibly wrong with Joey that Mai would ask her if she knew anyone that took heart medication pills. Chloro-amphetamine was a heavy drug that her grandfather took for his condition, so the old man had loads of it at home. But she'd just taken a few pills as to not awaken suspicions from Solomon. The hangar was practically empty, aside from a couple of abandoned boats, piled up on giant metal shelves. Mai guided her to the end of the place where a latter that seemed to be going up to a second floor, only noticeable if you broke your neck looking up. It seemed more of an attic than anything else, being this close to the roof. The blond woman turned to her.

"I'm warning you, it's not pretty."

Yugi didn't reply and just gulped before following the woman up the latter. Indeed,the space up there was barely enough for an adult to stand. A bunch of cases had been pushed to the side, and on the other, there was a mattress in front of which a spiky brown haired man was kneeling. Yugi recognized him from the bar.

"Please, tell me you have it," said Valon, without turning around. "If we don't do something now, we won't have a choice but to take him to a hospital."

"Yeah, she brought them. Hold on a bit longer, I'll be quick."

As she knelt down next to him and started looking through Yugi's bag, the short girl approached. And her eyes widened in shock when she saw Joey. Her classmate seemed to be passed out, but his breathing was loud and his face, twisted with pain. He was bare-chested, and Valon was pressing a bunch of cloths tainted with red on the left of his abdomen. And he was visibly sweating buckets.

"Oh my God... What happened?! W-we have to call an ambulance or a doctor..."

Surprisingly, neither of the two adults seem to be agitated. Mai, who was busy lighting what looked like a camping stove, spoke calmly. "Don't worry, we can manage this, thanks to you."

"What do you mean, you can manage this?!" shouted the panicked girl. "Look at him."

This time, the older woman stopped what she was doing and grabbed Yugi's wrist with a firm hand. Throwing a serious look, she ordered. "Yugi, calm down. I know how this looks to you, but this isn't as serious as it seems. We can help him, but you have to let us. Okay?"

The short girl hadn't realized that she'd started panting, and slowly regained her normal breathing rate. But that didn't mean she was any less worried. "Why won't you take him to a pro?"

"Joey has no health insurance, not even social security. The money he makes on his own is barely enough to keep him fed properly. He wouldn't be able to afford it. And I won't be teaching you anything by telling you his pig of a father can't even keep himself out of debt with his gambling habit. He'd let his own son die if that could get him through another game."

As she explained, Mai took a miniature frying pan that she placed on top of the camping. After putting a few drops of water in it. She grabbed the pills inside the bag. Yugi had trouble swallowing her own spit before she asked.

"Does he have a heart condition?"

"Not at all. He's as healthy as an ox, and thank God for that. Not many people with heavy condition make it in Hoshu. The main reason being, you guessed it, no health insurance." She forced open the capsule and emptied the medical powder on the floor before dropping the empty container in the small pan. She repeated the movement with all the pills an continued. "I don't need the product. The capsules are made of a material that can be digested and melt in the stomach to free the medicine. I melt them with heat and basically turn it into an organic glue."

Yugi remained quiet for a moment, processing what Mai had just said before looking at the wound on Joey's abdomen. "Like a substitute for stitches?"

"Roughly, yes. It's not as effective of course, but at least it protects the wound as it's closing. Strong medication capsules are the most effective."

"How do you even know how to do that?" asked the short girl, stunned.

"Valon taught me," she said throwing a smile at the man, who mirrored it back.

"I did four years with the military, as a battle field medic," said the man. "I've picked up a few tricks of my own."

"Did his father do this to him?"

"No," replied the bouncer. "Knife work like this is the Scarlet Wolves. The old bastard prefers his fists and bottles. I know that to you, it looks like the kind of thing only a doctor can do something about, but Joey's a tough guy. This is far from the worst state we've found him in. Trust us, okay?"

The two adults focused on what they were doing, and so she sat down, amazing herself at how long she'd managed to stay on her legs. Just looking at the blond boy's painful expressions was hard. No social security? So that's why he'd refused to go to the hospital last time too. In a normal situation, child protective services should be warned. But if she'd learn anything recently, it was that Hoshu was far from working like the rest of Domino. And Joey... Joey was pure product of this place. He had no parents in a way. He fought by himself, for himself all of this time. And despite that kill or be killed mentality, he'd turned out to be so... kind. He fought through hell and storm to be this person. He even played the bad guy to teach her to like herself. Without warning, her eyes watered and she wiped them quickly.

Once Mai finished brewing the sticky substance, Valon removed the cloths and she applied it to the wound. It really looked like she was gluing the cut, but after a few seconds, the substance turned the color of his skin and almost hid it completely. Valon pocked around it to make sure it held well.

"Nice work," he concluded. "This should do."

"Wouldn't it have been easier to used a normal needle and thread?"

"Unlike what you see in movies, kid, it's not clean at all to use non-medical tools for this," said Valon, putting a cover above the sleeping boy. "We would've resorted to that, if you hadn't brought us the pills. But the risk of infection is lessened."

"What is this place anyways?"

"Joey's hideout. When his dad gets insufferable, he comes here," replied Mai. "Which is most of the time."

Joey's second home, huh? That explained the tent, the bundle of clothes, canned food, mattress, and all the camping stuff here. That she thought about it, it stank here. It seemed pretty obvious that Joey wasn't one to do laundry or do housework. But then again, it's not like he had anyone to tell or show him that. Her eyes fell on him again.

"Is he going to be alright?"

Again, Mai smiled reassuringly. "He's Joey. Of course he will. That boy can pull through anything, it's one of his only strong points. Thank you for helping him, Yugi."

"I didn't do anything..."

"Just knowing that you responded when he needed help is huge. I take it you two got over your... disagreement."

Did they? Her perception of Joey had changed spectacularly since the Burger World incident and their talk. But saying that they were friends was, well, awkward. And, not confirmed at all. What with her grandfather wanting to kill him and Kaiba doing his best to keep hr away from him.

"It's... complicated."

"Got ya. With guys, at this age, it's always complicated."

She winked. Yugi laughed nervously, not sure if the bar owner was implying something. But she quickly turned her attention back to Joey. "What now?"

"Now, we wait for him to sleep the fever off. We left him some painkillers, they should do."

"Wait, we're leaving him here? Alone?"

"Sorry, kiddo. But I have a business to run and if I want it to remain the cleanest place in all of Hoshu, I can't afford to be absent. You're welcomed to stay with him, if you're worried. But I'm guessing you have a curfew."

"Yeah..."

Mai seemed to read her eyes as she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, he'll be fine, I promise. Besides, he's safer here than anywhere in Hoshu. No one is going to find him here. The only ones that comes by are the seagulls. Worse case scenario, he has a phone. "

Yugi wasn't sure. Not at all actually. But these people seemed to know what they were talking about. They had even gone through the trouble of taking care of him. And they were the most decent people she'd seen near him. Looking at her watch, she saw that she really needed to get going if she wanted to keep her promise to Tea. Reluctantly, she left with Mai and Valon, leaving her wounded classmate behind.

* * *

The first time Joey woke up, his wound was killing him. He quickly recognized his hideout, but the last thing he remembered was being attacked by that bastard and managing to drag himself to Valentina's, then seeing Valon approaching him quickly before he passed out. After taking the painkillers, he took a look at the cut. Mai and Valon had done their medical glue thing again. He would've wondered where the hell they'd gotten the capsules, but his head was killing him. Checking his watch, he saw that it was late in the evening already. And so after swallowing a can of beans, the bad boy went back to sleep, letting his fever knock him out.

The second time he woke up, it was the early in the morning. He was sweating buckets and the wound was burning. Nothing he hadn't experienced before. It wasn't like this was his first time being stabbed. So he took two more painkillers, and wiped the sweat off of him, before going back to sleep.

The third time, it was late in the afternoon. But finally, his head had stopped hurting, thank Buddha. The cries of the seagulls were bearable again, the sound of the sea was actually pretty appeasing. His fever must have dropped. But something was off. There was something odd. He was an instinctual guy, he could feel it. But it wasn't threatening. Just out of place. Nonetheless, despite the exhaustion, he forced his eyes open and looked beside him... only to be struck dumb. Sitting, cross-legged on the floor next to him, was Yugi. But her eyes were almost entirely closed and her breathing was slow and deep. And she was slightly swinging, back and forth. This was probably the closest state there was to fall asleep, but at the same time, she somehow kept herself balanced.

'What the hell?' wondered the boy, before rubbing his eyes to make sure he was awake.

When he saw that he wasn't dreaming, he sat up and carefully placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Yug."

The instant he touched her, she sprang up like lightening had struck her and let out a cry of surprise. Loosing her balance, she crashed on her side, crushing her shoulder. Joey sweat-dropped, not sure if he should laugh or face-palm. She quickly sat back up, and looked around her, confused.

"Joey! Hi! Uhm, I wasn't sleeping!"

The stunned look on Joey's face hadn't disappeared. "What the hell are you doing here, Yug?" he asked, so surprised, he had trouble blinking.

A slight blush of embarrassment tinted her cheeks, and she looked down. "Uhm, well... I-I wanted to make sure you were okay..."

"How d'you know I was here?"

"Mai called me yesterday, to ask me to bring her pills. Y-You were badly injured. And you were still burning up when I arrived..."

His eyes lowered to the floor, and he saw the ripped packaged of cooling pads on the floor. Bringing a hand to his forehead, he felt the one on his forehead and took it off since it wasn't cold anymore. So that's why the fever had left so quickly. "Just how long have you been here exactly?"

"I came after school, so..." She looked at her watch. "Two hours? I didn't plan to stay so long, but I didn't want to wake you either..."

He just stared at her, unable to recover his capacity of movement just yet. That made her feel uneasy as well, and she was unable to hold his gaze. So to break the silence, she grabbed a plastic bag she had with her and took out a small cardboard box with the Burger World logo on it.

"I thought you'd might want to eat something other than canned food when you woke up."

It took him a moment, but he grabbed the box. Inside was a giant burger. The sight of that seemed to be enough to make his stomach growl loudly. Yugi chocked the unintentional laughter that came up her throat, but not soon enough, and a snort escaped.

"Well, huh, since ya insist..." he declared, probably to hide the fact that his cheeks were turning slightly red too. "Bon appetite to me!"

With that, her classmate started devouring the burger like he hadn't eaten in days. Yugi couldn't help but feel a bit strange. Since she wasn't eating, this was a bit weird. So she turned her attention to the rest of the place. The smell of unwashed laundry was stronger than the day before, probably due to all the sweating. But this places needed a well-deserved spring cleaning. There was so much dust, it'd made her sneeze more than once, even though she wasn't allergic. Her eyes then fell on Joey's wound. It looked like it was holding pretty well. But just because he wasn't complaining about pain didn't mean that there wasn't any. Like Mai had stated, he was a tough guy. The knife cut was long. Going from the lower stomach to the flank, almost reaching the ribs. Whoever did that had wanted him to feel it. Shivers travelled up her spine. But then she realized something else. The presence of a visible six pack. Her eyes travelled up. His arms also had thick rounded shapes.

"You're ripped."

Interrupting his move to grab another bite, the blond froze, mouth open and threw her another surprised look. Realizing what she'd just let out, the short girl's face turned scarlet.

"Sorry! That came out on it's own! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean anything by it! Well, I did mean that you have a nice physic, but... no that's not what I meant! Arg! I'm sorry, please forget I ever said anything!"

A moment of painfully embarrassing silence went by. This time, the snort came out of Joey's mouth, who then exploded in laughter, nearly choking on the piece of burger in his mouth. It was so bad, he fell back down on his mattress, and held his stomach. Meanwhile, Yugi felt like her head was going to melt.

"S-Stop laughing!"

"Hahaha! I'm sorry, Yug, pfff... HAHAHA! That was too good! You should see your face!"

Covering her face with her hands, she wished she was mouse again. Why did she just have to say stuff like that? Now of all times! He was never going to let her live this down. Her self-mortifying kept her from noticing that Joey had (almost) stopped laughing. But a warm hand rubbed the back of her head.

"Oh come on, don't feel bad," said the boy. "Never expected ya to say somethin' like that. Specially not to me! If anythin', I'm flattered."

Somehow, his words made her feel worse. He seemed to understand that lingering on the subject wouldn't help and removed his hand.

"Seriously though Yug," he asked, his mouth full with the rest of his burger. "Why d'you come here? Ya could have just dropped off the pills and take off. Thought you'd be glad to be rid of me." he swallowed. "I know moneybags and yar grandpa are."

"Kaiba hates you and grandpa only know you from what Kaiba told him."

"Doesn't really change the fact that I picked on ya. Any parent in their right mind would've reacted like yar grandpa. I'm no pissed about it. Got no right to be. Got anythin' to drink?"

Reluctantly, removing her hands from her face, she reached for the water bottle in her bag and gave it to him. He emptied it in one go before continuing. "Honestly, I don't get it. Ya bring me food and ya worry about my ass. Why do ya bother?"

"I don't know," she replied, honestly incapable of answering that with a straight response."I just... Well... I don't want you to be alone."

A sad smile stretched across the blond boy's face. "Ya feel sorry for me."

It wasn't a question.

"No!" she exclaimed. "Well, I do. But that's not all. I-I don't want you to be misjudged. You're not the person everyone thinks you are. I don't want anymore misunderstandings. And... I couldn't help but notice, you didn't even try to defend yourself in front of grandpa."

He smiled again and grabbed a shirt that he quickly put on. Then, he went down the latter and automatically, she followed. Joey stepped out of the hangar and went to face the sea. It was a cloudless day, so the water reflected the sun's brilliant light. A nice breeze played with their hair. Indeed, it was much nicer than Hoshu. But that sad atmosphere still hovered in the air around them. Yugi wasn't sure of her theory, but she wanted to know.

"Joey..."

Almost immediately, as if he felt the storm coming, he interrupted. "Don't feel sorry for me, Yug. I hate it. I always take care of myself."

'But you're not, Joey. You're enduring.'

She didn't find the courage to say these words out loud. But she wanted him to hear them. Joey Wheeler was so much than met the eye, despite what everyone thought of him. Yugi wanted to know. Know just how much he was hiding. How much he was carrying. Because she could feel that weight on his shoulders. There was no way he was really as laid back and worry-less as he looked, and there was definitely a reason behind him wanting to make her stand up for herself. The idea hit her on the spot. If she wanted to really help him, then she was going to need a good excuse to keep seeing him. Turning to face him this time, she put on the most serious look she had in store.

"Joey, you owe me."

The face he made when he turned to her almost made her laugh. He looked like a half-asleep sloth that was trying to discern reality from dream. But she was too focused to let it get to her. Soon enough though, he regained his composure and threw her a confused look. Again, her nature took over and her request came out in the form of a plea and she almost shouted.

"Can you please teach me how to defend myself?"

* * *

 **O.O Well, that was unexpected. I wonder how that's gonna turn out? Next chapter, suspicious figures appear. *insert evil laugh here*.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	11. Eyes

**HEY! I'm already back, but for a very specific reason. I probably won't be able to update on Monday because I'll be busy. So this is just a little gift so you'll forgive me. It's a tranquil chapter, but mysterious things go down and a suspicious figure stalks Yugi...**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

A man in a red suit sat at an incredibly long table that could probably fit over thirty people, in a sumptuous room, decorated with velvet curtains and 17th century paintings. Maximillion Pegasus was busy staring at his latest purchase, which was 2nd century jade vase from ancient China. It was a magnificent piece of antiquity that had belonged to the daughter of an emperor that had been tricked by her lover to give it to him. The ordeal over it had apparently caused a war that had claimed over thirty thousand lives. It's historical value was priceless. The billionaire could spend hours just staring at it. And yet, it was nothing compared to the one he'd found over a year ago now. The Millenium Eye was beyond priceless. Having dealt with many antiquities in his life, he'd heard all sorts of legend surrounding the objects. But, only the ones surrounding the Eye had turned out to be true. Thanks to that, he hadn't made a bad deal in years. Fascinating. That discovery had led him on a million quests to find out if the legends surrounding the other artifacts were true as well. But so far, it had proven a fruitless search. Even out of all the objects from Egypt, it was the only one possessing such gift. And Pegasus was growing bored of his search. The door opening pulled him out of his thoughts. His butler stepped in.

"Mr Pegasus? You have a phone call from another dealer. A certain Mr Ishtar."

"Tell him I'm busy."

"He said he has an interesting deal for you, something about Millennium items."

Pegasus looked up surprise. What a fortunate coincidence, it definitely peaked his interest. Ishtar? That sounded Egyptian enough. Extending his hand, he waited for the man to come to him and give him the phone.

"Maximillion Pegasus speaking."

" _Hello Mr Pegasus," said a clearly modified voice in his ear. "My name is Marik."_

"I understand you have an deal for me?"

" _Not really. I, one could say, share similar interest with you. I've recently learned that you were in possession of the Millennium Eye. What would you say if I told you there was more than one Millennium item?"_

Maximillion's eyes widened, but his voice remained calm when he responded. "I'm listening."

" _I know where you can find the second one. And, I can tell you how it's gift can be unlocked."_

The collector's brows then came closer together. He was not an idiot. One didn't only show up like this offering what you'd always wanted on a silver platter out of the goodness of their heart. That didn't happen, not in this business.

"What do you want in exchange? I doubt you're telling me this for free."

" _Indeed not. There is something I want in exchange."_

"Name your price."

" _Oh, no. I'm not interested in money. What I want is far more valuable."_

* * *

"Nope, not it either," she muttered to herself.

Yugi sighed putting back in the box one of the pieces she was holding, before grabbing another. Today was a particularly nice day, so the three girls had decided to have lunch on the rooftop. Yugi had gulped down her lunch, and was attempting to get more of her puzzle done. Now that's she'd almost completed the base, she was getting impatient.

"Would you give it a rest?" said Tea. "You're making it hard for me to eat."

"Sorry, I just really want to finish it."

Her friend frowned. "You only get impatient when you're frustrated or excited. Are you really that into getting fighting lessons from the guy who bullied you?"

Yugi put down her pieces, giving up for now. "It's not fighting lessons, Joey's just gonna teach me a few tricks to defend myself, that's all. And stop calling him my bully."

Tea sighed and shook her head. "I will never understand how you can be so forgiving. I mean, did he even apologized to you?"

"Now that you mention it..." said Yugi, nervously biting her lip.

"By the way, how is it going between you and grandpa Muto?"

"We talked... He's disappointed in me," confessed the shorter girl, as sadness shaded her face. "I tried talking to him about Joey, but he didn't want to hear it. Kaiba got to him alright. I thought he'd listen to me after calming down but..."

"He's more angry at himself than at you," said Tea. "He's thinking 'why couldn't I do something for you'. He'll calm down, eventually. What I don't want to know, how he'll react if he ever learns what you're doing."

"I don't want to wait that long to get to know Joey better."

The look her friend throw her and the silence that followed made her wonder if she'd said something wrong. "What?"

"Wow, you seriously intend on becoming friends with him."

The phrasing took her by surprise. But thinking about it, she wanted to know more about him as well as make sure people didn't misjudged him. That was a pretty accurate description of friendship. Rubbing the back of her head, she grabbed her water bottle. "Well, I guess... yeah. He acts like an idiot but deep down, I'm pretty sure he's a great guy."

The face Tea made told many things. First, that she was annoyed and second, that she was giving up on lecturing her friend. "I'm gonna have a hard time getting used to this. Geez, if didn't know better, I'd say you have a crush on the guy."

Yugi spat out the water in her mouth, and coughed loudly. When she looked up again, her face was the darkest shades of red there was discernible to the human eye. "I-It's not like that!"

"Well, it's kind of true. I swear, you remind me of a bad version of West Side story. Am I right, Kisa?"

"Uh-hu."

The low voice and briefness of her response made the two others look at her curiously. Now that Yugi payed attention, Kisa hadn't said a word all morning. In fact, she'd been out of it all week. Ever since Yugi had told them about Kaiba. Her eyes were lost in the distance, and it looked like she even had trouble bringing her food to her mouth.

"Kisa?" called out Tea. "You doing alright in there?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, don't worry. I'm fine," replied the class representative, as her usual smile stretched out across her face. "I just have a lot going on right now, with the festival and all."

Yugi opened her mouth to ask something when her phone beeped in her pocket. She quickly pulled it out and read the text.

 _Sequence X. 8:00_

The sight of the few words made her hold her breath. This was the first time he was contacting her since their disagreement. A normal person's first instinct would probably to have replied a chunk of reprimand. Not her though. It was just a text message, why was she feeling so helpless in front of it.

"You alright, Yugi?" asked Kisa. "You look like you've seen a ghost or something."

"... It's Kaiba."

A heavy silence fell on the small group. Yugi had told them about her last encounter with Kaiba and how it hadn't gone so well. In fact, she'd reported every word. Like how she'd been called a long term investment. Just thinking about it made her want to cry again. She'd spend all her time since then worrying about Joey, and had left the subject behind. And now it was right back in her face. Super. What was she suppose to do now? If she replied no, who knows what other crazy things could Kaiba put in place to make her life even more miserable. Or Joey's for that matter. And if she replied yes, she was going to act as if nothing had happened, and that's what he wanted. Ignoring it felt like the only right thing to do. She was pulled out of her thoughts when Tea snatched the phone from her hand.

"I can't believe this guy! I swear, the next time I see him, I'm gonna..."

"Do nothing," interrupted Kisa. "This is Kaiba we're talking about. Taking him head on is not going to work. We have to be smart about this. By us, I mean you, Yugi."

"Uuuuuuuuugh," let out the short girl, before resting her head on her knees. "What am I suppose to do?"

"Get a new phone, for starters."

"I can't afford a second phone, and there's no way Grandpa is going to pay for another sim... Especially not now."

"Wait," said Kisa. "You told him that Kaiba's stalking you, right?"

"No. But I get the feeling that it wouldn't change much if he knew."

He was so Kaiba-pro now that the billionaire had told him about her secret miserable life. Which granted, at some point had been just that. But not anymore. It was a miracle that she'd manage to get Tea and Kisa to give Joey the benefit of the doubt. Her grandfather was another story. And Kaiba was the hardest level of all. And he was just as stubborn as he was prideful. Who knows how far he would go? Tea returned her phone and she looked at the text again. Sequence X. That was the first game they'd played together. She'd been alone at lunch break again and had decided to go in the study hall to complete a puzzle. It hadn't surprised her to see him there. It had absolutely stunned her to see him get up and ask to play a game with her. Sequence was basically the only interesting game in the room according to him, so they'd played that. And before she knew it, he was playing with her every time he came to school. Then, he'd invited her to his home to play Stratego, Dominion, chess, checkers, Go!, more Sequence... It'd almost become a habit. Before meeting the girls, Kaiba had been the closest thing to a friend she'd had in a while. She was so grateful to have him. Now she was avoiding him like the plague. He hadn't shown up to school since their fight, and she left her phone home all the time unless she came to school so that he wouldn't spy on her. She'd resorted to sending emails with the Game Shop's computer. Even with that, she wasn't sure he wasn't watching her every move. Why was everything falling apart because she wanted to make things right? What was she doing wrong?

"Knock it off Yugi, it's not your fault," said Tea, who was getting tired of the heaviness of the atmosphere. "By the way, how do you even talk to Joey if you can't use your phone?"

"Well, I didn't exactly tell him about my Kaiba problem. But he didn't even ask for my number, he just said he'd contact me."

The door leading to the roof was kicked open making the three of them jump. Tristan stepped out onto the roof, a folded piece of paper in his hand. He looked irritated. Shoving the paper in her face, he growled.

"I don't mind doing a friend a favor, but this messenger pigeon thing better not be permanent."

Grabbing the sheet, she opened it. The message was brief.

 _Sup, Yug! I'm pretty much back on my feet, so let's meet up at the Catfish park, South entrance, at 4:00. If you can't, just tell Tristan, he'll phone me. See you later! Or not._

Tristan rubbed the back of his head and growled. "What did I just say about the messenger pigeon thing?"

Her eyes widened in shock. "Already?! No way!"

"What wrong?" asked Kisa.

"Nothing's wrong, it's just … I didn't expect him to be on his feet after only a week."

"This is Joey we're talking about," said Tristan. "He's always like that."

"Still, he was practically sliced in two..."

No matter how many times people told her how tough Joey was, she was still unsure about it. But she decided to trust him. Besides, it's not like she had the strength or will to hurt him. She looked at the message again and the text on her phone. Amazing. The way they wrote really showed off different vibes. Yugi looked up and smiled at Tristan.

"Thanks."

"No prob. Actually, I should thank you too. For giving that idiot a chance." For the first time, the short girl saw a genuine smile on Tritan's face. "Thanks, shorty."

"Won't change much about what the rest of the school thinks of him."

"Tea!" said Kisa, frowning at her.

"I'm just saying..."

The bell rang interrupting their conversation and the four schoolmates made their way back inside the building. The afternoon passed by without any disturbances aside from students making a solution explode and stick to the ceiling in chemistry, and soon enough, school was over. After saying goodbye to her friends, Yugi made her way out. As she crossed the courtyard, her eyes caught a glimpse of Bakura in a corner, talking to... Marik?

'Weird. Do they know each other?' she wondered.

But she didn't linger on the thought and hurried to the Game Shop. Once changed out of her uniform, she went to the kitchen to grab the black grocery bag and the list stuck to the fridge. Perfect. At that precise moment, Solomon entered the kitchen.

"Yugi, are you going out?"

"Yes, I have some shopping to do. I'll grab the groceries so you won't have to go out, Grandpa. Is there anything in particular you want?"

"No, thank you. I don't mind if you hang around the market, but be back before 6:00, will you?"

"Promise. I'll get going then."

She stuffed the purse in her pocket and passed her grandfather. But as she turned the handle and was about to push the door open, Solomon called out to her.

"Yugi."

She froze in her movement. Had he seen through her again? "Yes, Grandpa?"

"... No, it's nothing. Go on."

"O-Okay. See you later Grandpa."

Once the door shut behind her, the girl let out a sigh. It felt like she'd dodged a bullet. But she recovered quickly and made her way to the park. It was one of the biggest in Domino, and it was cut in two by the river crossing it. In spring, it was the nicest place to spend sunny afternoons, to study, play or relax. She arrived there pretty soon and quickly spotted a mass of blond hair on a bench. He stood up when he saw her approach.

"Yo!

"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" she asked, still skeptical of his 'wellness'.

"I was good four days ago, but I needed more time to think about what I was gonna teach ya." He smiled nervously. "I've never taught anyone before. But I figured what's best for ya. Ya ready?"

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. He laughed. "Relax Yug. I ain't gonna punch you or anythin' like that. To tell ya the truth, I had no idea where to begin. Ya're a girl, ya're short, and ya got practically zero strength to back you up."

The enumeration of her flaws, made her cheeks redden a bit. She couldn't help her size or the fact that she was girl, but it was true that she was never much of a sporty person. Truth be told, PE was the one period she loathed in school.

"So I wrecked my brain to find the best way for someone like you to have a chance. And I think I got a few tricks down that you can use." A wide grin swallowed up half his face. "But first, hand over the goods."

It took her a moment for her to realize what he meant. She'd almost forgotten that they'd made a deal. Searching through her grocery bag, she pulled out a bunch of worksheets and handed them over to her classmate who looked through them. She'd been genuinely surprised when he'd asked her for every piece of work he'd missed since the beginning of his suspension. He was more diligent than she'd thought. Setting them aside, he turned back to her and clapped his hands together.

"Alright, let's get started! Remember Rex?"

"Rex?" a not so pleasant image of a boy in a red beanie popped up in her mind. "Oh, the guy from the Scarlet Wolves that attacked you."

"Ya froze up when he went to grab you," continued Joey. "That's a normal reaction for ya."

Looking down, she nodded, feeling another wave of shame shading her face. And he'd seen her do it more than once, having pushed her around himself. That feeling of being naked in front of him, made her mentally slap herself to get rid of it.

"Here's a first trick." He extended his hand towards her like he was going to grab her. "If someone tries to grab ya like this, grab their little finger and twist it as hard as ya can. Fingers on their own are pretty fragile. They can easily dislocate or even break. It doesn't need much strength."

Her mind instantly made the sound of bone breaking and she shivered in disgust."I don't know if I'll have it in me to do that..."

"Trust me, in the heat of the action, ya won't even think about it. I promise, just having the info in your head makes a difference."

Trust me. Yeah, the way he was saying that made her want to do just that. Without realizing, a small smile made it's way to her face.

* * *

The dark-haired figure made it's way through the market street, carefully scanning everyone. The old man Muto had said that she'd gone to the market. In that case, she would either be here or one other place. And since he'd gone through five times, then she most certainly was at the park. That where he said to look for her, if he couldn't find her. So the figure left the market, hidden under his hoodie. It would be bad if someone recognized him. He was impatient, he wanted to find her. Quickly, he dashes through the streets, as fast as his legs aloud him to. Soon enough, he entered Catfish park. The Game Shop was South of the park so it made sense to enter through there. There, he walked passed kids playing hide and seek, groups of woman with babies talking, college kids practicing soccer... But his eyes only had one objective. Finally, sticking out from behind a tree, he spotted tricolor hair. A smirk stretched out across his face, and getting off the path, he quietly moved through the trees and bushed, getting closer and closer, until their was only a tree between him and her. Bending his knees, he got ready to spring up, like a cat stalking a mouse. But he froze in his movement when he heard a voice. Peeking, he saw that there was someone with her. A blond guy. From what he could hear, they were talking about defense tactics. They were laughing together too. To be precise, he was making her laugh. Frozen, he watched them. For a long time he watched them. Until they said goodbye and each went their own way. Stepping out of his hiding spot, he looked at her leaving. What was he suppose to do with what he saw? His phone suddenly rang, making him jump.

"I'm okay, don't worry, Hobson."

" _Master Mokuba, please don't take off like that. I was this close to calling Master Seto."_

"I'm sorry. You can come pick me up."

" _I'll be right there."_

The ten year old turned off his phone and put it away, before letting himself fall on the bench where they'd been. What was he suppose to do now? He'd heard what she'd called him. Joey. The same name his brother had been cursing a lot recently. Why was Yugi laughing with someone Seto hated? He let out a sigh. What he'd seen made him wonder too much. He wasn't used to being troubled like this. But it concerned two of the most precious people in his life. So...

"What now?" he muttered to himself.

* * *

 **Sorry for misleading you! But Mokuba's the cutest! He's the only one who's aloud to stalk Yugi in my eyes. Also, I promise, next chapter, action is going down, season 0 style!**

 **PLEASE REVIEW!**

 **Also : Lowe, pay up!**


	12. Engulfed

**Hey guys! I'm a day late but for once I have a good reason. I'm back in the US, for like 4 days, but it's still aaaaawesome!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

" _If I grab ya like this?"_

 _Joey gripped her wrist tightly, and Yugi fought against her backing off reflex and stood her ground. "Don't back out because I don't have the strength to pull myself free. I go forward and body slam you, using my shoulder or my elbow."_

" _Good choice," complimented her classmate. "Now, let's make it tricky."_

 _This time he grabbed both her wrists, but when she tried to go forward, he kept at a distance, so that the body slam was not an option. But she didn't hesitate, and mimicked her explanation, as she spoke._

" _Kick the inside of the knee or the groin, turn my wrists towards the sky, and..." She executed the simple maneuver he'd taught her, and freed her wrists._

" _You're a quick learner, Yug. Guess that's a given, with all the mind twistin' ya do for yar puzzles. Speakin' off, how ya doin' with yar treasure?"_

" _Every time, I find a new piece, it gets harder and harder. It took me four hours to figure out that I'd put two wrong pieces together."_

" _But that's why ya like it, ain't it?" he said, winking at her. "I think we're good for today. By the way there somethin' I wanted to ask ya. Feel free to say no if it ain't yar thing..."_

* * *

" _What exactly is this invitation?"_

"It's some sort of gathering with food and music apparently," replied Yugi, as she looked at the shelves to find the right brand of shampoo. "You and Tea are invited too. And he said Tristan and even Mai would be there. Oh, and it's at the old harbor, Saturday evening. Kisa, you still there?"

" _I didn't think he would be that straightforward about inviting you on a date."_

"Not you too..." muttered the short girl rolling her eyes, as she placed the bottle in her basket. "It's not a date, he's inviting all of us."

" _And you want to go?"_

"Yep."

" _Sounds fun! As long as it's not in Hoshu, I'm in. What did Tea say?"_

The short girl sweat-dropped remembering her conversation with her other best friend a couple of minutes earlier. "That I needed someone to watch my back anyways, so she didn't have a choice. Also that if she gets any suspicion that it's shady or some sort of drug hole, she's getting us out of there, asap."

Kisa laughed on the other side of the line. _"Sounds like her alright. I gotta go, they need my help at the orphanage. See you on tomorrow."_

"Bye."

Yugi hung up her phone and smiled to herself. Her friends really had taken to heart what she was doing, even though Tea still made everything sound negative. Also the past few days of 'training' with Joey had been a lot more fun than expected, and she'd managed to learn a few things about him. First off, he loved burgers as much as she did. Second, that he was surprisingly good in school. When she'd given her the math homework of last Tuesday, she apologized for her notes because she didn't really understand it, and he'd explained it to her as if he'd done this his entire life. And she was glad that Joey seemed to be interested in letting her in like this. But she still hadn't shaken that feeling that he was hiding something. But there was no rush. They were off at a good start and that was what really counted. Yugi continued her shopping around the convenience store. Her grandfather wanted mustard chicken for lunch tomorrow and she was out of chocolate and shampoo. Neither was acceptable. Her crazy thick hair required very thorough and precise maintenance, and there was no way she could go by without chocolate for a day. Deep down, she was convinced that that was what made her brain work so well.

As she kept looking through the isles to find what she was looking for, her phone rang. She froze when she saw the caller ID. Seto Kaiba. She had ignored every text he'd send since then. She'd expected him to be fed up with being ignored quickly, but really didn't like the idea of confronting him again. Holding her breath, she waited for the device to stop ringing, while other costumers looked at her, curiously. When it stopped, she sighed and put it away before going to pay for her articles, and exiting the convenience store. It didn't surprise her not crossing many people in the street as people around here rarely did their shopping in the early evening. And she was far too lost in thought. Had she really fooled him? A surge of anxiety pinched her insides. Did Seto Kaiba think that she was just mad at him and was doing nothing behind his back? It seemed impossible. And yet...

Her thinking was brutally interrupted when something suddenly came out of the alley she was passing by and slammed into her, nearly knocking her down. A boy, younger than Mokuba, gripped her shirt and looked up at her, his face struck with panic.

"Please miss!" he shouted, tears spurting out of his eyes. "My brother... My little brother's stuck! I can't get him out! Please help me!"

A strike of fear cancelled out all her other thoughts. "Where?"

"This way!"

The boy let her go and ran into the alley where he'd just come from, and she followed him, hastily throwing the strap of her shopping bag over her head. She knew there was a construction sight that way, and children often played there during weekends, when no one worked it. She prayed that the kid wasn't injured. Maneuvering in the back alleys of the local buildings, she didn't notice how further and further she was getting from anyone. After another turn, she froze when she came face to face with a wall. Dead end. And there was no one there.

"Did we take a wrong turn?" she asked the boy.

He turned around, but his eyes were looking behind her. And with fear still marking his face, he said.

"I did what you told me! Let him go!"

Yugi whipped around. Behind them were two tall men wearing black hoods and sunglasses. One of them had an arm wrapped around the neck of another little boy. The other pulled off his hoodie, and a smirk appeared on his face. He was blond, and had an scarf wrapped around his head with the american flag on it.

"Nice work kid. We owe you one." He nodded to his companion who released the little boy and the brothers immediately ran into each others arms, both in tears. "Thanks for the help. Now move along brats."

Without hesitating, the oldest grabbed the youngest by the arm and both ran away as fast as their little legs aloud them. Meanwhile, Yugi had trouble swallowing her spit. Two shady guys had used children to lure her here? Who were they? Kidnappers? Worse? The one with the american flag took a step closer, and she took one back.

"So, you're Yugi Muto." It wasn't a question, and the fact that he knew who she was did not reassure her. What did that mean? The only people she could think of who had issues with her, were Kaiba and the Scarlet Wolves that had beaten up Joey. But they didn't seem to belong to either group.

"W-Who are you?" she asked.

"You can call me Keith. You have something our boss wants." Her hand reflexively moved to her grocery bag that, aside from the stuff she'd just bought, also contained her puzzle. She'd wanted to go to the park before heading home and work on it some more. Now, she wanted to go back in time, and slap herself in the face for having brought it. Of course, her movement betrayed her. "I see that you have it with you. Perfect, it saves time. Let's go for a little walk shall we? Make it easy for us and we'll be nice to you, alright shrimp?"

Chills ran up her spine, making goosebumps appear all over her skin. The man approached and she took more steps back.

 _Stop_

She immediately froze in her movement. Of course. Joey had told her that the worst situation possible was to end up back against a wall. Keith stopped inches from her, and slowly reached for her bag. The man behind him was checking the area, making sure it was cleared. She tried organizing her thoughts, but found herself unable to. Was she going to freeze up, like always? Joey said that it was enough to know what to do. But no matter how hard she tried, she was unable to remember. Her insides and all her muscles contracted when the man's hand touched her bag.

 _Move_

She moved without realizing, like she had no control over herself. But somehow, she grabbed Keith's pinky and twisted it until a nasty crack sound was heard. The man grunted in pain, and that's when her elbow, backed up with everything she had, collided with his stomach. Taken away by his own weight, he landed flat on his back side, and she dashed. As she ran, her thoughts caught up to her. What the hell was happening? She brutally slowed down when she found herself facing an iron gate this time, blocking her way. After a futile attempt at pulling on the chain that kept it locked, she started climbing it. But just as she was about to reach the top, a hand grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her back. She crashed on the ground, landing heavily on her shoulder and letting a cry of pain escape her mouth when her skin tore.

"That wasn't very nice, shorty," said Keith, who still smiled despite the pain.

He reached for her bag again, but panic struck her and fear gave her lightening quick reflexes. In seconds, she seized it and scurried back until her back hit the brick wall behind her. The one thing she was suppose to avoid. Having no retreat possible anymore, she brought the bag against her and wrapped her arms around it, squeezing it against her chest. She had no freaking clue what was going on, but her number one priority had become her puzzle. She couldn't let them have it. She just couldn't. The fear of that strangled her. Keith's companion grabbed the strap and tried to pull it out of her grasp.

"Give it here kid," he ordered. "Or this is gonna hurt."

The threat was real, she knew that. But her arms tightened more around the black bag. Even if she'd wanted to, she didn't think she could let go. Getting impatient, Keith's hand roughly grabbed her chin and squeezed her jaw tightly, making her wince again.

"Don't be stubborn brat. Hand it over before I break your... Aah!" He released her when she bit him, so hard he bled. "You little bitch!"

A hurricane-like slap sent her right back to the ground, but she still refused to loosen her grip. Her head was spinning and her vision, blurred. One of them cracked his knuckle in his hand. She was shaking all over. Even her bones were trembling. She knew more pain was coming and she was terrified. But she couldn't let go. She just couldn't.

 _Say the words_

A voice? No. _The_ voice. The one from the restaurant. It resonated in her head, and the two men didn't seem to hear it. One of them said something about this being her last chance. She didn't reply.

 _Say the words_

'What words? What are you talking about?' She heard it. The urgency in the voice. It was pushing her, uncomfortably. Keith grabbed her by the collar pulling her up to her knees. Her shaking had rendered her body as numb as puppet's, except for her arms, still unwilling to let the puzzle go.

"So, what's it gonna be, kid?"

She barely heard, his voice. But even as her eyes watered, she shook her head.

 _Say the words_

"You really are an idiot," said her assailant, before raising a fist. "Teeth don't grow back, you know."

 _SAY THEM_

Shutting her eyes, she heard herself shout. "MIND CRUSH!"

* * *

There was no way to know how long she kept her eyes closed. But no pain came after that. She forced her eyes to open, only for them to widen in shock. The two gorillas were on the ground, unmoving. Slapping both her hands on her cheeks, she looked again. They were still there. What the hell had just happened? Slowly, she stood up and carefully came closer. This time, she froze in horror. Their skin had taken a purplish color, like they'd been strangled. But that was not the worst of it; their eyes were entirely black, and tears of blood had smeared on their faces. And their mouths were wide open, like they'd screamed in horror. Something turned in Yugi's stomach and she whipped around and bolted. She ran and ran, until she ended up in a familiar place; Catfish park. She only stopped running when her legs started burning her so badly, she had no choice. The physical and mental exhaustion were such that she fell to her knees and panted her lungs out, like she was having an asthma attack. She was on one one of the bridges crossing over the canal.

She'd heard a voice back there. No. _The_ voice. The same one she'd heard in the restaurant. And just like at the time, she wasn't in control. Her body had moved on command. A new wave of tremors and anxiety shook her insides. Looking down, she realized that she was still holding her bag and that her arms hurt horribly from her squeezing it so tight. Indeed, red marks decorated her skin. Putting it down, she took the golden box out. It was just as beautiful as the first time she'd looked at it. But now, she shook while holding it. It was doing something to her... something terrible. Suddenly, it was like holding a deadly weapon in her hands. Her eyes looked at the water, and in one fell swoop, she got to her feet and raised the box above her head to toss it in. But though her arms executed the movement perfectly, her hands gripped the puzzle tighter. If it weren't for the railing, she would've fallen over. It wasn't a question of control. She couldn't do it, pure and simple. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she started sobbing.

'What is happening to me?'

If Kaiba called right now, she would answer. She wanted someone. She needed someone. Anyone.

"Yug?"

She looked up. Joey was there, in front of the bridge, a few feet from her. It seemed something out there in the universe had taken pity on her. Warmth filled her chest, finally her muscles relax... including the ones in her hand. The golden box fell in.

"No!" she exclaimed, climbing over the railing and jumping, under the horrified gaze of her classmate.

She heard him call out her name before she hit the freezing water, but that was the least of her worries. She could barely see a thing down there, and the cold quickly numbed her body. But she kept going down and down, ignoring her slowly fading sensations, following the golden glitter she thought she saw at the bottom. She kept swimming, even when she stopped feeling her legs, even when her lungs burned, screaming for oxygen...Even when they filled with the dirty water of the canal, and her consciousness started fading, her thoughts were about getting to her treasure. Something pulled her up. She wanted to fight it, but her strength was also gone. She was dragged up until her head broke the surface. Her horrible nauseous sensation grabbed her throat and stomach. Her body seemed functional enough to make her vomit and cough out the invasive liquid in her lungs and stomach. The coughing practically tore through her throat.

"Ya got a death wish or somethin'?!" shouted the familiar voice in her ear.

"My...puzzle..." she muttered barely audibly, the cold water had done the damage to her throat.

She felt herself be dragged to the land and then forcibly pushed out of the water. After coughing some more, she turned back to the water. "My puzzle... I need to go get it..."

Contrasting with the cold numbness of her body, her cheek suddenly started to heat up after he slapped her. She hadn't seen that look of anger in his eyes in a while, but she knew it all too well. And just like before, it scared her.

"What were ya thinkin', Yug?!" he shouted, his hands gripping her shoulder so tightly he could've crushed them. "Are ya crazy?!"

"I... I..."

"Answer me! What were ya doin' in the first place?"

"I'm... I'm sorry..."

"What d'ya mean ya're sorry?! What the hell happened?!"

Her eyes looked down, unable to maintain his intense gaze, and new tears streamed down her face. "Joey, I think I'm going insane..." she muttered, gripping his shirt.

He didn't slow down, but she didn't miss the look of surprise on his face. "What d'ya mean?"

"I hear a voice..."

"... What?"

"It tells me things... It moves me like a puppet..."

The look on the boy's face went from anger to worry at an alarming speed. He quickly placed a warm hand on her forehead. It was so warm that the temperature contrast sent more shivers down her body. So warm. She wanted a whole cover of that warmth, to drown in it. So she could forget the cold of the fear, eating at her mind.

"Ya ain't in yar right mind."

Right. Of course not. She really wasn't.

"We gotta get ya somewhere warm, before ya catch pneumonia."

The next thing she knew, a dry jacket, the Joey had the intelligence to take off before diving, was dropped on her shoulders and she found herself, lifted into his arms, bridal style. Before she could even protest, Joey was running.

"W-Wait, my puzzle..."

"Screw yar puzzle! It's not goin' anywhere!"

His tone was so harsh, he almost reminded her of Kaiba, and it was enough to shut her up. The sun had already started to set, no wonder it felt even colder. Early spring was not the best time to go swim. Especially not in the canal. She tensed up as her teeth chattered and shivers assailed her body. The colder she got, the warmer Joey's chest felt, in comparison. For the first time in her life, she decided to send her shyness to hell and snuggled as close as she could to him. Not soon enough for either of their tastes, they arrived at the Game Shop.

* * *

When she woke up, she had no idea how she got in her pajamas and in bed. She vaguely remembers showering after Joey left. What she did know was that her head felt like it weighed a ton. She was sick alright. She'd have to find a good excuse to tell her grandfather in the morning. Falling asleep with her hair wet might work. Her watch showed 1:13am. Sighing, she went to the bathroom to grab some tissues and take a pain killer. When she came back, she realized her curtains weren't closed... and man shaped shadow was standing on it. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest and she let out a scream.

"Shhhh! It's me Yug, don't freak out," said Joey.

Too late for that, but at least she was relieved it was just him. Funny. A couple of weeks ago, she'd have never thought she'd say something like that. The bullying seemed so distant, and kind of insignificant next to what was happening now. Opening her window she let him in. His hair was wet.

"What are you doing here? It's one in the morning..."

"I came to give ya this."

Opening his jacket, he showed her the golden box and her mouth practically hit the floor. She looked at him and then it again, a couple of times.

"You went back? At this hour? Joey, the water's even colder now! It's the middle of the night! Are you crazy?"

That comment earned her a flick in between the eyes. "Look who's talkin'. A thank ya would be nice too."

"But how? The park is closed for the night. And how did you fish it out without getting you clothes wet?"

Joey went quiet for a moment, and looked away while nervously rubbing the back of his head. "Huuuuh, well... The gates are pretty easy to jump over, so that was easy. For the clothes... they're ain't exactly anyone around at night except for the fish."

"Oh,' she replied.

It's true that there was no one around, and he couldn't risk getting drenching another pair of clothes. Still, picturing him jumping in the canal naked in the middle of the night made her face turn crimson and look away. Thank Heaven the lights were off, hiding her a bit.

"So, d'ya want it or not?" he asked, handing it to her.

Did she? Yes. She honestly did. There was no way she could deny her attachment to the piece of gold. But she couldn't help but wonder if it wouldn't have been better to leave it in the water forever. Would she hear the voice again? What would it make her do?

"What's the matter?" he wondered, as she didn't move.

He'd brought it back for her. He'd dived into freezing water, in the middle of the night, trespassed, and sacrificed sleep hours. How could she refuse? She grabbed it from him. "Thank you Joey."

"I better go if I wanna catch any sleep."

"Wait! Won't your father get mad if you come home this late? And Hoshu's pretty far...AH!"

For the second time, she found herself in a headlock as the boy messed with her already tangled hair, making her drop her box. All while having a bright smile on his face. "I thought I told ya to stop worryin' about my ass."

"But you keep looking out for me!" she protested, struggling to get free. "It's not fair! Ow! Uncle! Uncle!"

"I'm sleepin' at Tristan's, if that makes ya feel any better, short stuff," he said, tightening her grip.

"Yeah it does! Now hands off! Do you have any idea how hard it is to maintain my hair in shape? Besides, you're gonna get sick too! "

As if on cue, she sneezed. It was a miracle he wasn't already burning up, after diving in the water twice. He laughed and then released her. While she tried to make sense of her tricolor-hair in her face, he stepped onto the window edge.

"Later, shrimp!" she heard him say.

By the time she finished moving her crazy main, he was gone. She sighed and picked up the golden box. Sitting on her bed she stared at it. She really must've been out of her mind. That thing was not normal. She couldn't have imagined all of that. Shadi, the voice, the two guys in the alley... And if she told anyone, they'd either think she's a compulsive liar or delusional. This just bit, really.

"Marik..." she muttered, remembering.

* * *

 **Mwahahahahaha! Hang on to your whiskers because from this chapter on it, gets real!**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	13. Throb

**Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you're all enjoying your holidays! Sorry Lowe, I was unable to win this time. Too busy celebrating! But worry not, I'll make you spit out those extra chapters soon enough! It's extra long because 1 it's Christmas! and 2 an apology for my tardiness.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Growled a boy she'd accidentally shoved.

"Sorry!" she shouted back at her schoolmate, without stopping.

Yugi hastily continued her race down the hallway, keeping her eyes on her watch. She only had ten minutes left before class began, but she wanted to get this out of the way as soon as possible. She'd spend the past four days in bed, with a bad case of bronchitis, thinking about him. He was the only one who she could speak of this while preserving her reputation as a sane person. She'd gone through classes B, C and D of eleventh grade, that left another two classrooms to go through, assuming he was there. It wasn't unusual for students to stay talking in the hallways until the last minute. Finally, she reached her destination and slid open the door to class 2-E. A quick look around told her that he wasn't here, but instead, she saw a mass of messy white hair laying on a desk in the back of the classroom. Stepping in, under a few surprised gazes of people who wondered why she was here, the short girl made her way to the apparently sleeping British boy. She hated having to wake him up, but she really wanted her answer, and classes were starting soon, anyways. Still, knowing his temper, she took a breath before shaking him lightly. For a moment, it felt like she was putting her life on the line.

"Bakura?"

A growl, resembling the starting engine of Kaiba's sports car, answered her. Slowly, Bakura turned his head and when she saw his eyes, she thought she was going to loose a tooth. But the moment he recognized her, the teen sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh it's you, short stuff," he let out before stretching. "What do you want?"

"S-Sorry to bother you." It felt like she'd dodged a bullet. "Class is about to start..."

"And you woke me up because..."

"I, uh, I saw you talking to Marik the other day... Marik Ishtar? Do you know what class he's in? I really need to talk to him..."

Strangely, an air of surprise appeared on his face, but he quickly regained his usual expression. "Oh, Egyptian bloke? Yeah, he's in this class. He's probably in the hallway getting asked out for the tenth time this morning. Speak of the devil."

Indeed, when she turned around, she saw the dark-skinned young man, smiling at a group of girls, seemingly refusing something. After a quick thank you at the British boy, who had already gone back to sleep on his desk, she quickly went to the door.

"Marik?"

"Oh, hello Yugi," he said, smiling at her. "Fancy seeing you. What can I do for you?"

"Well..." she glanced at the group of girls, still waiting for him. "Can we talk alone? I need to ask you something."

"Certainly. Follow me."

They went back in the hallway and a little further away, and she could practically feel murderous glares burning her back. But she was too preoccupied to pay any attention to it. Once in a quiet corner, near a window, Marik turned back to her.

"I hope you're in better spirits than the first time we met."

Not really, is what she'd have answered, if she had the time or will to discuss her most recent freaky encounter. "I wanted to ask you something about the Millennium items. You said that each item gave a specific gift to its holder. What do you know about the puzzle?"

Marik pinched his chin with two fingers. "I don't remember much of my father's research. But I do remember something about the puzzle being the most powerful of all the items, and having multiple abilities."

Great, just her luck. "Please, anything you can remember? At all?"

"You seem very interested. If you want, I can ask my father about it. I'm sure he won't mind lending you a manuscript. Today is Friday, should I bring it to you on Monday?"

She'd honestly preferred to have it today, but she didn't want to push his generosity. She'd just have to be patient some more. Hopefully, she could keep herself out of trouble this long.

"Can you, please? Thank you so much Marik."

"No trouble at all, Yugi. Oh, wait I do remember something. If my memory is correct, one of the puzzle's gift was the power of mind destruction."

Those words froze her on the spot. Mind destruction? Mind crush. She had trouble swallowing but asked nonetheless.

"M-Mind destruction? What does that do?"

"I believe legend has it, it tears evil out of one's soul."

That didn't sound good, but most of all it was confusing. What did that mean? Again, it took everything she had to push the question out of her mouth. "D-does it... kill?"

"No, none of the items were meant to have lethal effects, I would've remembered that," replied Marik, who didn't seem to notice her nervousness. "You'll probably know more after reading my father's research."

"Yeah, probably..." The first bell rang, making both of them look up. "Gotta go! Thank you Marik! See you later!"

She didn't even hear his reply and raced towards the stairs, since her class was a level lower. Mind destruction didn't kill. So what did it do? Turn people into vegetables for the rest of their life? They'd bled out of their eyes for crying out loud! She pushed the door that led to the staircase and raced down, while mentally slapping herself to forget that image. At least she'd gotten some way to learn something, even if she still thought of it as a long shot. She couldn't have dreamed all of that. If she had, then she really was cra... Her thoughts got interrupted when she slammed into someone about to come upstairs.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see... you..."

Her voice died in her throat when she recognized the tall brunet in front of her. Kaiba was in his school uniform, this must've been one of the rare days he'd decided to show up to class. She hadn't anticipated that. What an idiot! She'd completely forgotten about him. Her phone had drowned when she'd jumped in the canal. Efficiently, her Grandfather had gotten her a new one while she was sick, and so she hadn't been bothered by Kaiba's attempts at contacting her.

"Hello Yugi," said the young CEO, his voice dripping with irritation. "It's been a while."

"H-Hi Kaiba," she couldn't help but reply. "Hum, we need to get to class..."

"We need to talk."

Being the shy ball of anxiety that she was, Yugi was not spontaneous at all. Confronting someone without any preparations whatsoever was the worst deal possible. What was she suppose to say to him? He seemed to quickly understand that she wouldn't make the first move.

"A little Birdy told me you've been hanging around Wheeler a lot, recently."

Little Birdy? That was how Kaiba sometimes referred to Mokuba. But the last time Yugi remembered seeing the youngest Kaiba was a their mansion, before she got her puzzle. When could he have seen her with Joey?

"It also told me that you seemed to get along very well," he continued, heavily emphasizing on the 'very'.

Her eyes looked away, as usual, unable to hold his angry glare. Suddenly, it felt like she'd learned nothing. As she didn't answer, Kaiba went on.

"And that you were fighting."

"We weren't fighting," she said. "Joey was just teaching me self-def..."

She stopped talking when she realized she'd given him the confession he wanted. For the second time in two minutes, she cursed herself. Kaiba's eyes were throwing daggers at her. She mumbled a few words, incomprehensible to even herself. Of course that didn't help the mood. The next thing she knew, he snatched her wrist, getting a gasp out of her.

"You are trying my patience, Yugi. I really am gonna start thinking that you like being pushed around."

"I-It's not like that..." she began, as she tried to pull herself free, but that only served to make him squeeze her wrist tighter, and her, wince in pain.

"Your phone went offline on Sunday, and you've been absent from school since then. You want to try telling me it has nothing to do with Wheeler? Because I'm gonna have a very hard time swallowing that."

What was she suppose to reply to that? She wouldn't be able to lie to him. And it felt like even if she did tell him the truth, it wouldn't help her case at all.

"Kaiba, I..."

"Save it," he snapped. "I don't know what you think you're doing, but this little buddy-buddy game with the mutt is over. Am I clear?"

She didn't realize that she'd backed away until the back of her heel hit the wall behind her. This felt familiar. What was she doing? She'd managed to fight back against two stalkers who tried to rob her. And Kaiba wouldn't hurt her. At least not physically. So why was she shaking? She was scared, sure, but there was something else. She was tired of this. She'd had enough having the fright of her life over and over again. She'd had enough of all of this. She didn't need to deal with him as a bonus.

"Answer me, Yugi."

She didn't reply. Instead, she twisted her wrist towards the ceiling and with the sharp movement, freed her hand from his grasp. The look Kaiba threw her was priceless, like he was seeing a ghost.

"Enough," she said, clenching her fists, and shaking with anger. "I'm sick of this."

"What?"

Biting her lips, and pushed by the overwhelming force of her frustration, she looked at him straight in the eyes. "I'm done with this. Do you have any idea how it feels being spied on by someone you consider your oldest friend?"

"I told you already..." he began.

"We're not friends," she interrupted. "I heard you the first time." Her eyes watered as she said those next words, but somehow, she refused to stop talking. "Maybe you're right. Maybe we've never been friends. But I refuse to be your investment. I don't want to play this game anymore with you Kaiba."

The young billionaire remained stunned for a couple of long seconds, but his angry face returned soon enough. "Are you serious? Just how much did that idiot brainwash you? Or did you just develop Stockholm's?"

"I was right about Joey."

"Please!" he scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Even you can't trust your own judgment. Especially not with that mutt."

"This has nothing to do with him!" she shouted this time, as if it helped putting weight to her words. "This is about me! I may not be your friend, but I'm not your toy either. So I'm telling you again; leave me alone."

A long and cold silence fell in the staircase. Kaiba has stopped moving and just stared at her, with his usual imposing face, like the irritation had just vanished. But it was still there, well hidden. And Yugi refused to look down. Holding Kaiba's glare was much harder than than it seemed, but it felt unexpectedly easy. She knew she was right, and there was only so much even her could take. Still, it felt like spikes of ice were growing inside her stomach while she looked. For once, she wanted things to go her way. Suddenly, the door leading to the hallway opened and Mr Tory showed up, frowning.

"What are you two doing here? The second bell rang five minutes ago. Hurry and get to class."

Kaiba, ignoring the history teacher, turned his back to both of them and faced the stairs leading down. "He's more clever than I thought, if he managed to get into your brain like this. Then again, this is you we're talking about."

That was meant to hit right where it hurt, but she bit her lip again and said nothing. She was more worried about her classmate's sudden calmness.

"Have it your way. I'll let you learn on your own that some people are just pests. But I'm warning you." He turned to her again, and this time, though his face remained calm, his eyes burned with silent rage. "Don't come crying when things go south."

With that, he walked away.

'I am right Kaiba. I know I am,' she thought, before heading towards her classroom.

* * *

It was a lucky coincidence that their classmate Miho was having a party that same Saturday evening. It gave the three girls a valid excuse to tell Solomon that they were going out. The old man and Tea and Kisa's parents had given them an eleven o'clock curfew. According to Tristan, it would be plenty enough. The trio had gathered at the Game Shop to hang out before leaving but although the dressing code was casual, it seemed even harder than to have to dress for a formal evening. In the end, Tea had found a dark blue skirt with a yellow shirt and a pink waistcoat, with a pair of brown boots, while Kisa wore blue jeans with a simple but elegantly cut white T-shirt, city sneakers and a silver bracelet. Yugi had also settled for jeans, but with a long-sleeved, shoulder-less, black shirt, low ankle boots of the same colour, and a black choker with a silver ring. Tristan had also suggested that they take nothing but their phones, since they wouldn't need money. Soon enough, they ended up on the bus, on their way to the old harbor. Tea apparently still hadn't done ranting, when the they got off at their stop.

"I swear, if I so much as feel a bad vibe, we are getting out of there, no questions asked!"

"Why are you so set on the idea that we're gonna end up in a drug hole?" asked Kisa. "Joey's proven himself. I think he deserves our trust."

"That doesn't mean his friends are trustworthy," replied Tea, stubbornly. "He is from Hoshu."

"Gee, thanks," said a familiar voice nearby.

They looked up to see a casually dressed Tristan, seemingly waiting for them at the stop. But he didn't linger long on Tea's last comment and saluted them.

"I expected Yugi to show up, but the rest of you is a surprise."

"Like we were going to let her come alone," growled Tea.

Tristan smiled mockingly, and shrugged. "Right, cause all of Joey's friends are junkies. Get a good look around tonight, Tea. You'll see who Joey's real friends are. Come on."

Without waiting for an answer, their schoolmate turned around and led the way down the hill and towards the old docks. Yugi couldn't help but notice the caravans and camping-cars parked on the edge of the old street. The sun was starting to set, giving a nice orange-ish color to the water. As they got closer, the teens started hearing voices. A lot of voices. Surprisingly, some seemed to be the laughter of young children. When they finally made it passed the warehouses, Yugi's mouth hung open in shock. The docks were filled with people in very colorful attires. There were everything, from children to young people, to elderly... A bunch of bonfires as been lit, over which some people were grilling food. The air was perfumed with the smell of burning coal and spices from the food. There had got to be at least hundred people here. Her friends seemed about as stunned as her.

"Okay, gotta admit," said Kisa. "I was not expecting that."

"Are these people... gypsies?" asked Tea.

"Yup," confirmed Tristan. "These guys travel in different groups but they're like one big family. Once a year, they all come by here at the same time, and gather for a few days. Tonight's the last evening, so they have this big traditional gatherings before some leave for another year."

"You said they were Joey's friends..." said Yugi, unable to take her eyes off the people.

"He's known them since he was a kid. They don't easily trust outsiders."

"Then why are we here?" growled Tea.

"Joey's pals are always welcome," said a voice behind them. "Even if it's Tristan."

A handsome boy about their age, with long black hair held in a ponytail, and hypnotic green eyes stood there, arms crossed on his chest and a sneaky smile on his face. Tristan approached him and both boys shared a high five.

"Shut up, Devlin! Guys, meet the devil. Don't get fooled by his act, he's rotten to the core."

"Not cool, dude," replied the newcomer before grabbing Kisa's hand and kissing it. "The name's Duke Devlin, psychic searcher extraordinaire. I find lost things for a living, so if you've lost anything let me know. I'll make you a good deal."

Kisa took back her hand hastily and smiled nervously. "I'll keep that in mind."

"So, you guys are Joey's friends? I didn't know he hung out with such lovely company," he said winking.

"First off, you're a creep. Second, we're not his friends," said Tea.

"I am," retorted Yugi.

"Uh-huh... I sense some negative vibes coming from... Ow! Ow! Ow!"

The gypsy boy suddenly cried out in pain when his arm got violently yanked back and put in a lock in his back. Joey, had a big smile on his face, but a slight irritation was also noticeable.

"Can't leave ya alone for five seconds, can I? Tristan, I told ya to watch him for a reason."

The pointy haired boy seemed confused. "I did! I didn't see him take anything."

"Of course ya didn't," said Joey rolling his eyes. "Hand it over, Devlin," ordered the bad boy.

"Alright, alright!"

Joey released him and the gypsy boy reached inside his pocket and presented Kisa with her silver bracelet. She blinked surprised and looked at her bare wrist, and back at the piece of jewelry. It was indeed hers, so she took it back and the boy apologized. Tea threw a murderous glare at Tristan, who just shrugged in embarrassment. The blond boy turned to them.

"Sorry about that. Duke ain't a bad guy, but he's got nasty habits."

"Nasty habit?" exclaimed Tea. "He stole Kisa's bracelet!"

"He ain't a thief, he's a hardcore klepto."

Kisa raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms on her chest. "Is that the excuse used to justify every theft?"

"Look at it this way," said Joey, as calm as ever. "If he'd wanted to steal for money, he'd have gone for yar cellphones. They're worth a lot more than a piece of shiny plastic. He's like a monkey. He likes shiny stuff."

"Not cool," growled Duke, rubbing his aching shoulder.

"You can tell it's fake?" asked Kisa, genuinely impressed.

"Yep, and if I can, trust me he can. But don't worry," he reassured. "As long as I keep an eye on him, ya'll leave with all yar stuff. Anyways, welcome to the gathering. Follow me!"

Yugi was surprised. She'd never seen Joey this happy. He showed them around the camp. She had been wary of the hostility they might get coming here, with what Tristan had said about outsiders, but as soon as Joey introduced them, the people seemed genuinely happy to have them. And the game-brain was happy to see that Kisa and Tea seemed to be impressed and having a good time. Musicians were playing, and when one was tired, another would pick up for them. They were offered food; skewers with grilled meat, fish and veggies, wonderfully spiced, fresh fruits and handmade cakes. The kids around invited them to play eagerly. Tristan and Joey got roped into playing soccer with a group of boys, while Kisa and her, had let a group of girls and woman touch their hair. Kisa's white hair really stood out in the middle of all these dark-haired people, and soon enough, they were trying out a million braids on her. Meanwhile, two little kids tried to get Yugi's hair to change shape, in vain. But it seemed to amuse them enough, so she let them, finding it pretty funny herself. They did give up at some point. When she looked up, she saw Tea laughing at Tristan as the group of boys were trying to pin him and Joey down.

"Who could've thought the Joey Wheeler we knew was actually like this?" wondered Kisa, who was enduring a fifth hairstyle.

"I have a hard time believing it myself," replied Yugi, keeping her eyes on the blond boy. "I was right, wasn't I? To believe in him."

Kisa turned to her friend, wondering why she suddenly had that air of worry about her and was asking a question like that. "I'm glad you did. It's good to know. And I honestly think I can be friends with him. So can Tea. She just needs some time to get used to it. She seems to be doing pretty good right now, actually."

Indeed, Tea was still laughing at Tristan who was struggling to free himself from the boys who were now all on him, curtesy of Joey, apparently. The blond boy was also laughing his heart out, and unbeknownst to Yugi, a smile stretched out across her face. How can someone so kindhearted have decided to play the role of bully? Maybe it was because of that very reason that he had. Despite everything, there was still one question she was dying to ask. Why her?

"Ya alright Yug? Ya look a bit spaced out."

She almost jumped, having missed the fact that he was now sitting next to her. "Oh, uh, I'm good, no worries."

"If this is a pain, just say so. I'll take ya home."

"No, no! I promise. I'm actually very glad I came. It's really nice."

His face seemed to lit up even more, if that was possible. "Really? Glad to hear! But ya haven't seen the best part yet."

She cocked her head to the side, and raised an eyebrow. "The best part?"

"Ya'll see when the sun sets completely. By the way, totally random, but I didn't take you for the wrist-chain wearin' type."

The comment on her appearance really was out of nowhere. Reflexively, she slightly turned away and looked down, as her cheeks took a pinkish color. She'd dressed up practically when she was training with him, but her tastes in clothes did surprise a lot of people at first. Maybe the slightly punkish style made her feel a bit more confident, and that's why she liked it. But for some reason, she almost felt a little ashamed.

"Oh, this is what I usually wear out of school..."

"Looks pretty good on ya!" he said, teeth out and throwing her a thumbs up.

For some reason that made steam come out of her ears, and she turned even redder. Again, she stuttered and thanked him, her back almost turned to him. What was wrong with her today? But before she could even regain her composure, an man with a white beard, and wearing an old beige suit and a matching fedora, approached them. Joey immediately jumped on his feet to salute the man.

"Old man Joffo! It's been a while."

"Hey yourself, Joey," he replied with a thick accent. "Could you help set up the circle? I think the boys need help."

"Sure thing," he replied without hesitation before taking off.

Yugi found herself a bit dumbfounded, being left alone with the man. But he smiled at her and saluted her with a sign of the head that she returned. Then, surprisingly he sat down next to her where Joey had been a few seconds ago. "Allow me to apologize on behalf of Joey. He has no clue how to take care of his own guest."

"Oh no, it's alright. Really."

"I would like to thank you. You've been taking care of that rascal, it seems."

Just what had Joey told this man about her? "I didn't really..."

"Please forgive me for asking, but are you very troubled recently?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Well, yes. But how did you..."

"I sense fear coming from you. I see a darkness. A darkness eating at you. It will drag you through terrible times." He was looking straight at her in the eyes with soft, yet piercing blue irises. But she the way she felt reminded her of how she'd felt when Shadi had poked her on the head with the Key, and that sent shivers down her spine. But then, a new smile appeared on Joffo's face. "But there is light. All along the darkness, there is light. As long as it's here, you have nothing to fear."

Maybe she was just dense, but she couldn't make sense of what the old man was saying. But before she could question it, a hand landed on Joffo's shoulder. Duke smiled at the old gypsy.

"Gramps, Maryam and the others are waiting for you."

"I see," he replied before turning to her again, and took off his hat, saluting her. "Excuse me. This old man must prepare for the show."

They waited for the old man to walk away and then Duke turned to her again. "Sorry if he freaked you out. Gramps is seen as a sort of wise-fool here. Don't think too much about what he told you, he doesn't understand half the things he says."

What he'd said was pretty on point though... But she was trying to forget the spooky stuff. "Is he your grandfather?"

"Gramps is everyone's parent, here. But yeah, we're flesh and blood." The gypsy sat next to her and looked towards the sea. "Tristan's told me about you. Apparently, you're something else."

She frowned, uncertain. "What exactly did he tell you?"

"That Joey messed with you and that you forgave him. I don't know a lot of outsiders who do that. You and him are surprisingly the same."

"Why do you say that?"

"There's only so much people can take of a friend that steals all the time," he explained. "Outsiders think I lie, but even my own family was tired of it. Joey and Serenity were the only kids that hung around me. I don't know what made them so forgiving, especially for kids. But I was grateful to have them."

One word of that story got all of Yugi's focus. "Serenity?"

"That's the name of his little sister."

"I didn't know he had one."

She always thought of Joey as an only child. Maybe because she couldn't picture his father having anymore kids. Why did she feel so disappointed about not knowing that?

"He doesn't talk a lot about her. I can understand, after what happened."

"What do you mean?"

Duke looked at her for a long time, as if he was deeply considering something. Then he sighed and spoke again. "Serenity and Joey were always together. He was watching over her because of their dad. One day, she just disappeared. They found her the next day, beaten to death in an alley of Hoshu. She was nine, two years younger than Joey and me."

Yugi's eyes widened in horror. And just when she thought his life couldn't be any worse. Being an only child, she couldn't even imagine how horrible it could be to loose someone so close to you like this.

"Joey started acting out after that, when his mom left. He joined the Scarlet Wolves and got in trouble. He stopped coming to see us too. Even I thought he was a lost case. But somehow, he got back on his feet. He never told anyone what set him off."

"It's insane..." let out Yugi, as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, just as a precautionary measure. "How can someone just pull themselves together like that?" She sure couldn't. "He's amazing."

Duke was about to say something else, when her arm was suddenly grabbed, and Joey pulled her on her feet. "Come on Yug, it's gonna start. Move your ass, Duke!"

The sun had set and all torchlights had been turned off. All that remained lighting the docks was one, gigantic bonfire. Everyone was gathered in a circle, sitting on anything they could find to substitute for benches. Joey dragged Yugi to where Tea and Kisa were, at the front.

"What's going on?" asked Tea, looking at him.

"I told ya there'd be music, right?"

"Yugi!" called out another familiar voice.

Yugi barely had time to turn around, when suddenly, a mass of blond hair was in her face and arms wrapped around her in a hug. "M-Mai?"

"It's good to see you again," said the bar owner, releasing her. Valon, who was behind her as always also saluted her, but Mai frowned at Joey. "Joey, you selfish brat. Why didn't you tell me she was coming?"

The boy made a face, and looked away, nose in the air, like a little kid. "Why should I have? It ain't any of yar business who I invite."

Yugi barely had time to blink, when Mai was suddenly holding her classmate in a headlock, similar to the one he'd used on her. "Is that how you talk to your elders, Wheeler?"

"Sorry, didn't realize ya were over forty, ya old hag!" replied Joey, despite struggling.

"Why you..."

Yugi brought her hand to her lips after letting out a snort of laughter, but pretty soon, her friends and Duke and Tristan were also laughing.

"Alright, enough of that you two," said Valon, separating the two blonds. "It's about to start, behave yourselves."

Again, the trio got surprised by the silence. Even the children were almost unnaturally quiet, as all their eyes focused on Joffo. The old man stepped into the circle with a couple of musicians carrying instruments that Yugi wouldn't have been able to name if she'd tried. One of them starting playing, blowing in a sort of long flute. Then a young man started tapping on a small drum. The music was at the same time, very soft and very entrancing. And everyone remained quiet. That's when Joffo started singing, and Yugi finally understood why everyone was so quiet. That man had the most beautiful voice she'd ever heard in a singer. The lyrics told a lesson, of how small a man is compared to the universe, but how great he can be if he only stays humble and lets his fear be turned to hope. The song seized the hearts of everyone around, even if these people probably were used to hearing it. At some point, she closed her eyes, to fully take in the effect of the song. It was like bathing in a sea of warmth and everything in her relaxed. She forgot everything. Her puzzle, Shadi, her curse... it all went away. There was just this warmth that somehow felt familiar. When the music accelerated a bit, she opened her eyes. To her surprise, a few couples were dancing. Mai and Valon were some of them. Their dance didn't seem to be anything in particular, like the music itself was guiding the movement. But they moved gracefully and in harmony. They never broke eye contact and it became flagrant that these two were more than boss and employee. She would've felt embarrassed watching, but the music melted that away as well. It was like magic, there was no other word to describe it. Her body suddenly got struck by an urge. An urge to move, to join in. She pushed against it but it came back stronger, and it took all her will her stay in place. She was going to satisfy herself with clapping hands with everyone else, but a hand wrapped around hers and she was suddenly pulled to the middle of the circle. This time, her shyness caught up a bit.

"What are you doing?"

"Ya wanna try, don't ya?" replied Joey, flashing her a smile.

"I-I can't dance..." It was true, she had two left feet, apparently inherited from her grandfather.

"Sure ya can! Just move however ya feel like." He grabbed her second hand and pulled her a bit closer. "No rules here Yug. Come on!"

He led her a few steps, slowly, and she followed, however her feet allowed her. The drum seemed louder, and resonated in her head, intensifying the magical sound even more. She looked up at him. He was smiling straight at her. And so, she did the same. Just like before, the music took her, and they spun, and twirled, and jumped and broke, and came back together and spun again. They probably looked ridiculous, but everyone around was cheering, and clapping. What did she care? She didn't. For once, it felt so good not to care. That warmth was all that mattered. That warmth that he brought to her by guiding her into the rhythm, leading her steps. And her heart throbbed at the thought.

* * *

It'd felt like they'd been gone hours, but it wasn't even near eleven o'clock when they returned to Domino. Tea, Kisa and Tristan all lived close to each other, so their pointy haired classmate walked them home, while Joey walked Yugi. Her head was still spinning from the dance, and both of them had sweated like pigs. But she felt so freaking good. Happiness was palpable. She hadn't felt this good since she got her puzzle. Even so, they walked silently side by side for a long moment, before she finally spoke.

"That gathering was unbelievable. Thanks Joey. I'm sure Tea and Kisa had a great time too."

"No prob. It's not much of a payback for what I did..." he said, looking away, nervously.

"Are you kidding? I had the time of my life! I never danced like that before! Well, I've never danced at all, but...wow!"

He seemed surprised at her unusual hype and talkativeness but he smiled back. He stopped in his tracks. "Are you okay, Joey?"

"Thanks, Yug."

She raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

But he just kept looking at her with that smile, and those sad, sad eyes. "Thanks," he repeated.

"I don't under..."

She didn't have time to finish her sentence. Her face was suddenly against his chest and his arms wrapped around her, gently. He was hugging her. Joey was hugging her. So out of the blue, it took her a while to process it. Her heart throbbed, just like it had during the dance. But this time, it was almost painful. Like it threatened to pop inside her chest and she warmed up an an unhealthy speed. Any hotter, and her flesh would melt off. For some reason, it struck fear inside her and she pushed him away. Given her strength, he barely felt it, but it was enough for him to get it.

"S-Sorry!" she apologized, knowing full well that the darkness was doing nothing to hide her furiously blushing face. "I-It's just..."

"It's my bad. Didn't mean to freak ya out." With a sign of the head, he pointed towards the end of the street where the Game Shop was. "This close enough for ya?'

"Yeah..."

"Well, then g'night."

He turned around and started walking away, but unable to stop herself, she called out. "Joey!"

He stopped and turned around. "Hum, see you soon, right?"

The boy just smiled and turned around, but as he walked away, he made a salute sign and said, "Sure thing, shrimp."

With that, he disappeared from her sight. But even after that, her face remained completely red. Just what the hell had happened here? Why had she been so nervous when he held her? Her heartbeat still resonated uncomfortably in her skull. The realization hit her like a slap in the face.

'Oh my God...' she thought. 'I'm totally crushing.'

The thought made her face feel like she'd dived into a pit of lava. Slapping both her hands on her face, she tried to chase the thoughts away. That couldn't be right! She'd barely just started knowing him, and she did feel sympathy for him. A bit more than towards others actually, but that was because of his hard life. Wasn't it? She pinched her nose, hoping more pain would help. There was no way...

He thoughts were brutally frozen, only not because of the pain. She'd arrived in front of the Game Shop, and the door was opened. Her grandfather never left the door opened. He insides tightened and she rushed inside, and horror struck her yet again. The shop was upside down, games and shelves broken and scattered across the floor, mirrors shattered, windows cracked... And on the floor, in the middle of the mess, lying unconscious on his back, and with a bleeding forehead, was Solomon.

"GRANDPA!"

* * *

 **Du-du-duuuuu! You thought it was gonna be a sweet chapter didn't you? Ha! Suckers! Just kidding, but I couldn't let this go without any suspense now could i? It's Christmas after all!**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	14. Collateral clash

**Hey, hey, hey! Here I am, back and before on time! Man does that feel good! I hope you all enjoyed your holidays!**

 **Lowe - Told ya! Pay up!**

 **Everyone else - Enjoy!**

* * *

Joey did his best to keep from bumping into other people as he raced at full speed down the street, but even his cat-like agility wasn't enough to avoid everyone. The street was full, and the people he pushed shouted at him, but he ignored them. He had more important things to focus on. The class rep was the one who'd told Tristan to warn him. How could he have been such an idiot? If only he'd just walked with her all the way to the Game Shop... Maybe they'd have been in time to do something. If he could, he'd punch himself in the face. Finally, but still way too slowly for his taste, he arrived at the hospital and made the nurse at the reception desk jump when he slammed into it.

"I'm here to see someone!" he shouted.

"Alright," replied the nurse, calmly. She seemed used to this kind of demand. It was a hospital after all. "What name?"

"Hum... Muto."

She raised an eyebrow. "Any first name? Are you a family member?"

Crap, he didn't know Yugi's grandpa's first name. How was he suppose to find him in this huge-ass place?

"Joey!" Near the elevators, the class rep was waving at him. "This way."

He quickly thanked the receptionist and jogged to join Kisa into an elevator. She pressed the 20th floor button.

"Where is she?"

"Room 2089. She's been here all night," explained the girl, briefly. "Tea and I tried to talk to her, but she won't say anything. Just that she came home and found her Grandpa injured. The doctor said he was beat up with a bat or something similar. She hasn't eaten or slept, and she refuses to move. Please Joey, talk to her. I... I don't know what to do."

She wouldn't talk to Tea or Kisa? That wasn't good. And what made the class rep think that he had a shot? Before he knew it, they arrived on the 20th floor, and he dashed with Kisa close behind. When they arrived to room 2089, Tea was just stepping out and looking distressingly inside the room.

"Well?" asked Kisa.

Tea just shook her head. "No changes."

Kisa and Joey peeked inside the room. The old man was laying on his back, eyes closed and plugged to a machine by thousands of cables, that beeped rhythmically. Yugi was on her knees, near the bed, sprawled on it, holding her grandfather's hand. She was wearing the same clothes as yesterday. Sniffles shook her from time to time. Joey remembered something. Something unpleasant. An image of his mother crying at the foot of Serenity's tomb, flashed in his mind. He bit his lower lip, remembering everything that had come after that. His mother had broken. She'd started drinking, just like her husband and then one day, just took her stuff and disappeared. No. This could not happen. Not again. Not to Yugi. He couldn't be helpless. He had to do something. Kisa did not miss the look in his eyes, and grabbed Tea by the shoulder.

"Let's go get something to eat."

Tea followed her without question, but as she passed Joey, she stopped. "I don't know what she sees in you. But I trust Yugi, and she trusts you. If you can do something, then please, do it."

She threw him a teary, pleading look, before walking away with Kisa, who nodded her head in agreement. The boy looked at Yugi again and took a breath before stepping in. As he got closer, he saw that the hand holding her grandfather's was shaking.

"Yug?" he called out when he was close enough.

She turned to him, and even through her tear smeared face, her eyes widened in surprise. She quickly brought her hand up and tried to wipe away the tears. But even when she removed it, new tears immediately appeared. He didn't know what to do, but he had to think. This couldn't go down like last time. She opened her mouth to say something, but her own throat choked her, and she looked down as if to hide her face from him. He remembered what Kisa had said. The bags under her eyes, clearly betrayed the lack of sleep. If she'd been here since the old man had been admitted, then a good sixteen or seventeen hours had gone by since she'd slept or eaten anything. Joey lowered himself to her level and grabbed her arm.

"Come on."

"I'm not leaving," she almost shouted as she tried to pull her hand back, but he didn't let go.

"I ain't makin' ya. I just want ya to sit."

Clearly reluctantly, she let him pull her up and make her sit in one of the two armchairs of the room. The instant she was seated, and he let go of her, she wrapped her arms around herself, and kept her barely blinking eyes on her grandfather. But it wasn't the cold she was fighting off. It was the fear. He knew that much. Searching through his pockets, he took out a cereal that had been there for sometime. It would have to to.

"Take it," he said, extending to her. "Ya have to eat somethin' Yug. Yar Grandpa won't like it if ya starve yarself."

She looked at it a few blank seconds, before shaking her head. "I'm not hungry," she said, her voice still choked by emotion.

"Yug." His voice was firm this time. "Eat it, or I'll make ya."

Kisa and Tea had already tried nice talk. That hadn't worked, so threatening her was the next best thing he could think off. He just hoped it would be enough without him making good on it. He held his breath, but kept serious eyes on her. Thankfully, she grabbed the bar and opened it. As soon as she started chewing, a new wave of tears and she silently cried as she ate. It was hard to watch, but he stayed silent until she was done eating, before asking.

"Yug, what happened?"

"I'm sorry..." she let out, in a whisper. "I'm sorry."

That irritated him. He didn't need her to apologize. She hadn't done anything wrong. "It ain't yar fault, Yug."

"It is!" she shouted, finally bursting in sobs. "It is my fault! I should have told him it was cursed! I should've given it to them! It's just a stupid puzzle, I should have just let them take it! But I couldn't, Joey... Why couldn't I let go?"

"H-Hold up Yug, slow down..." he started, surprised by the sudden outburst.

"The voice said to say the words, and I said them... and they stopped moving, and I tried to throw it away but it didn't want to be thrown so I jumped in, and you jumped in and..."

The words she spoke struck him with shock and worry. She'd mention the voice again, that couldn't be good. Joey sprang from his seat and grabbed the short girl by the shoulders. "Yug, Yug, calm down. I don't get what ya're sayin'..."

But she continued with her monologue, as if he wasn't here. The whole time, her face was struck by horror and he could feel her shaking getting worse. "Shadi said it... He said I was cursed... He said I was the one... He said my trial was just beginning...That I'm surrounded by darkness..."

Shadi? Who the hell was Shadi? Another image of his mother flashed in his mind. The few weeks after Serenity's death, she'd say things like she was going to the park with her or going to pick her up from school. No, that couldn't be happening. No! Yugi was not crazy! Kneeling down in front of her, he firmly grabbed her face between his hands and forced her to look up.

"YUGI!" he shouted, making her jump and instantly silencing her crazy mumbling. "Listen to me. Do ya know who I am?"

She blinked a couple of times, confused and she still sniffled. "Joey?"

"That's right, I'm your buddy, Joey." He wiped the tears of her eyes with his thumbs. "Ya feel my hands?"

Slowly, she brought her own hands up to touch his, she then shut her eyes and nodded. "Ya know what day it is?"

Again, it took her a moment to answer. "S-Sunday."

"Do ya remember what we did yesterday?"

"We...went to the Old Harbor." Even through the tears, a half smile appeared. "We danced."

A smile of relief stretched out across his face. "That's right, Yug. All of that was real. Curses, magicians, magical stuff...That ain't real. There ain't any greater force makin' it happen. Ya just got an unlucky number this time around, it ain't yar fault. All of that ain't real, okay?"

The face she made was not the one he expected. But he didn't have time to analyze what it meant when the door opened. When the tall figure, in a majestic floating white coat, stepped in the room, Joey felt the irritation in him grow. Rising back up, he turned to the newcomer.

"What the hell are ya doin' here?"

Kaiba threw him a death glare that could've made a lion cower in fear, but didn't reply. His eyes looked at the comatose Solomon to Yugi, who had that unreadable miserable look on her face, even when she looked back. He approached and she looked down.

"I warned you nothing good would come out from hanging out with that looser."

Alright, he'd heard enough. "Hey! What's your deal, moneybags?"

"Get lost Wheeler, this is between me and her. And if I ever see you near her again, I promise you, I will make your life a living hell."

"How the hell is this my fault?" protested the blond.

"For all I know, this is the doing of your buddies, Mr ex-Scarlet Wolf."

That silenced him for a bit. How and why the hell did Kaiba know all of this? But he was not backing down. Joey Wheeler never backed away. "No way the wolves did this. It's not their style to go out of Hoshu..."

"I don't give a crap. Since you are as stupid as you look, I'll say it in a way you can understand; Fuck off."

"I don't remember takin' orders from ya, rich boy. And like hell I'm leavin' her with ya. Ya're just gonna shake her up. She doesn't need that."

"Says the guy who couldn't keep his hands off her," retorted the CEO, crossing his arms on his chest.

In an instant, irritation became fury. The next thing he knew, he grabbed the billionaire by the collar. It really didn't matter if the latter was a head taller. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"I'm not an idiot, I don't buy that crap about your so-called redemption. Wanting her to defend herself? What kind of a shitty excuse is that? You're a parasite Wheeler, you attract trouble like rats to a dead carcass." A nasty smirk made crept up Kaiba's face. "But hey, I get wanting to keep around the only girl that ever payed attention to you."

Almost automatically, Joey raised his fist in the air. "You son of a bitch!"

"STOP IT!"

All movements froze and the two boys turned to Yugi. She was on her feet throwing them an angry glare, her face still red from the crying.

"Get out," she ordered.

Joey suddenly regretted his impulsiveness. How could he have forgotten her presence so easily? "Yug..."

"We're not done here," started Kaiba, as firmly as usual, but that only seemed to spark her up more.

"GET OUT, BOTH OF YOU!"

Both of them froze yet again. Before they even reacted, she returned to her initial position, on her knees, sprawled out on the bed and holding her grandfather's hand. Neither had ever heard Yugi scream like this. But Joey knew he'd messed up, and he released their classmate. Kaiba didn't show any emotion, but he was the first to step into the hallway, but not before he grabbed the medical chart at the feet of the old man's bed. Joey followed him out.

"What are ya doin'? Ya can't take that."

Kaiba ignored him and took out his phone and snapped a picture of the chart, before leaving it at the foot of the door.

"Hey, answer me, moneybags! What's the big deal?"

"Shut up, Wheeler," snapped Kaiba, eyes still focused on his screen.

He then dialed a number and brought it to his ear. "Connors? It's Seto Kaiba. I need you to check out the email I just sent you. Now. Yeah, I'll hold."

Joey clenched his teeth in annoyance. "Kaiba, what the hell?"

Again, the billionaire threw him an icy glare and ignored him. He walked further down the hallway, as he replied to the man on the other side of the line. "I want you to take him in. You'll have the medical records in an hour," he said to the one named Connors. "I don't care, make room. The money's not an issue. Good. Arrange for transport for this evening. I don't want any delays, and I'm holding you responsible for this. Don't fail me."

With that, Kaiba ended the call, and without adding a word, started walking away. Joey looked at him go, confused. But he didn't trust this guy. He'd seen how he talked to Yugi in general. What was he doing now? He jogged and grabbed his shoulder stopping him in his track.

"Don't walk away, rich boy. Who the hell was that? What are ya doin' to Yugi's grandpa?"

The answer was not the one he expected. As a reply, he got Kaiba's fist in the jaw. Thrown back, his back slammed against a mobile medical table and when he looked up, he felt a hot, sticky liquid dripped down his mouth and chin, and the scent of copper filled his nose. He was used to that. And like every time, the scent of blood got to his head, and in moments he was on his feet. The look Kaiba was throwing was as piercing as an eagles, cold and imposing, while his own resembled the one of a furious wolf.

"I warned you twice, Wheeler. But it seems this is the only thing you're capable of understanding. Just like every other scumbag of your kind."

After a few seconds of silence, Joey spat out blood on the floor and smirked. But there was nothing reassuring about that cocky smile. It only served to highlight his own fury. "My kind, eh? Ya ain't much of a talker either, Kaiba. Looks like ya and I, ain't too different after all, moneybags!"

With that last sentence, he threw himself on the young billionaire and threw his fist towards his classmate's face. But with a small side step, Kaiba avoided it and his knee met Joey's stomach, expelling the air from his lungs. The blond fell to the ground and coughed loudly.

"Don't you dare compare me to you, mutt. We're nothing alike. And it's about time you learned to place."

Joey grunted in pain, but quickly got back on his feet. Kaiba had kicked his still closing wound. If he'd had actual stitches, he'd probably have pulled them.

"Just what's ya beef with me, moneybags? I never did anythin' to ya."

"Your very existence is enough to piss me off. I don't need a reason. I don't need you to pollute my investments anymore than you already have!"

The tall brunet moved so fast, Joey almost missed him. The next thing he knew, another fist collided with his stomach and then a foot with his head. He didn't fall this time, but his head spun at a sickly speed, almost making him want to puke. He blocked Kaiba's next punch by raising his arm just in time. It became apparent that Joey's street fighting was no match for Kaiba's ju-jitsu.

"She's got too much potential to waste her time with an idiot like you. Her talents won't be wasted, not if I have something to say about it."

So he was talking about Yugi? Something boiled in his veins and he threw a murderous glare at his attackers. "Ya'd really have to be Seto freakin' Kaiba to refer to people as investments. Just who the hell do ya think ya are?!" he shouted, eyes burning with fury. "She ain't yar toy! And I know for a fact she considers ya her friend! Don't ya have any shame?"

The tallest threw his foot towards Joey's face again, but this time, the blond dodged and sent his elbow into the young billionaire's temple. Thrown off course, Kaiba hit the wall. Joey didn't waste any time, grabbed his shoulder, and sent his his knee in his nose. Thrown back, Kaiba had to grab a door handle to keep himself from falling. A fountain of blood dripped from his nose and he brought his hand up to wipe it off, his icy glare intensifying. Again, Joey barely saw him move. In a matter of seconds, he received a foot in the leg almost dislocating his knee, a fist in the face making him spit more blood, a chop in the throat cutting off his breath, and knee in the ribs, pushing him to the ground. This time, when he tried to get up, his body ached so much that he fell right back down, supporting himself with his elbows, while Kaiba looked down on him from the top of his height.

"Don't talk about things you don't know, mutt" he said in a low voice, dripping with hate.

Anger really had a weird way of pushing a guy. Ignoring the pain in his body as best as he could, Joey pulled himself to his knees. "I know Yugi. And I know she doesn't deserve that kind o' crap from nobody. Especially not ya, moneybags." With a painful grunt, he got on his feet. "I'll make ya spit out yar teeth out if ya make her cry."

"Let's see you keep yours first," retorted the young CEO, getting to a fighting stance again.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOING?!" shouted a voice familiar to both.

Coming from the end of the hallway, Tea and Kisa approached them, faces struck with shock.

"You idiot!" shouted Tea, at Joey while at the same time handing him a tissue. "This is a hospital! What are you thinking?!"

"He punched first," mumbled Joey, still gladly accepting the tissue and wiping the blood off his face.

"Did you even talk to Yugi?" asked Tea.

"I was! Then Mr billionaire showed his face, and she kicked both of us out."

Tea whipped around, her angry face on, and acid-coated words ready on her tongue, but before she could yell a single insult at him, Kisa's hand slashed through the air and hit Kaiba's cheek at full speed. Joey didn't think anything of it, but Tea froze in surprise. Kisa...Kisa always defended Kaiba. Yugi and her had always suspected that their class rep had a hidden crush on him. Never ever had they ever thought Kisa would do anything so impulsive, especially not to him. But Kaiba saw it clearly. The look of fury she was throwing him was unknown to him. Despite that, he spoke calmly.

"Mind backing up that statement?"

"You know exactly why," she replied equally calm. "Do you have any idea how much you've made her suffer these past weeks? I was an idiot to think you were doing this to protect her. You were serving your own selfish objectives. I'm gonna ask you this once; who the hell do you think you are Seto Kaiba?"

He replied nothing and just stared at her with his usual serious face. Yugi would've been able to discern the slight change in his eyes, as they narrowed on Kisa.

"You called her an investment, basically telling her that she belongs to you, you track her phone, you discourage her from doing anything on her own, and now, you attack Joey. Enough already!"

She didn't wait for him to reply, and turned to Joey. "Same goes for you."

"What? He punched first!"

"This isn't going to help Yugi, Joey. Did you come here to help or to pick a fight?"

The blond boy looked down. The class rep was absolutely right, and he cursed himself from having let himself go. Like always. Crap, what was he doing?

"My relationship with Yugi is none of your business, Kisa," finally said Kaiba, throwing the same icy glare at her. "Mind your own business, all of you. Stay out of this."

With that, he walked away, but before he disappeared at the end of the hallway, the white haired girl shouted. "It is our business, Seto! All of us."

"What a jerk. Hold up," said Tea, realizing. "You guys were fighting in the hall all this time... why didn't anyone hear you?"

By anyone, she meant Yugi. Kisa and Joey looked at each other, worried before Tea hurried to room 2089. She found no one there other than the sleeping Solomon.

"She's gone. I guess she did hear you guys..."

* * *

The weather was nice. The people walking down the street looked happy. None of that made any difference. She stood out awfully, with her red eyes, slumped posture and constant gesture of wiping her eyes. But she ignored the stares until she reached the Game Shop. The entrance was closed off with police tape saying 'CRIME SCENE. But despite that, she entered the upside down home and stood in the middle of mess. But she averted her eyes from the blood stain.

" _I'm so sorry Miss Muto. Your grandfather has slipped into a coma. Given his age and his heart condition, we're not certain that he will wake up,"_ had said the doctor.

The words resonated in her head and pinched her heart. He couldn't leave her like that! Not the only family she had in the world, he just couldn't! It wasn't fair! Why wasn't she here when this had happened? Why did he have to give her that puzzle? Nothing would've happened without it! She wouldn't have been cursed.

" _Curses, magicians, magical stuff...That ain't real. There ain't any greater force makin' it happen. Ya just got an unlucky number this time around, it ain't yar fault. All of that ain't real, okay?"_ then, said the Joey of her memory.

How she wished he was right. That all of this was nothing but a bad dream. But it wasn't. Shadi, the items, the voice, the people in the street... Everything was real. And he hadn't believed her. Joey should have believed her. But he just thought she was crazy. All of her insides contracted painfully, and she clenched a fist over her heart before falling to her knees and screaming. She was so lonely. So alone facing all of that. When was it all going to stop?

"Grandpa... I'm sorry..." she whispered. "I'm so so sorry..."

"Yugi?" called out someone from the entrance.

Almost jumping out of her skin, she looked up. A short figure with long black hair stood in the entrance. She knew that figure well. For the gazillionth time today, she wiped her eyes and got back to her feet. This was unexpected company, but maybe the one she could use.

"Hi Mokuba," she said, unable to cover up the emotion in her voice.

But the youngest Kaiba was clever. It ran in the family, it seemed. He could see through her too. He didn't smile back, and his face suddenly twisted as if he was going to cry to. But instead, he ran to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her chest.

"I'm so sorry, Yugi! About Grandpa Muto." he exclaimed, confusing her.

She hugged him back, incapable of responding anything, and buried her face in his thick black hair. After a while, Mokuba suggested that being in here probably wasn't a good idea, and grabbing her hand, he led her out and to the edge of Catfish park. The ten year old then went to buy them some ice cream. They silently ate, side by side on their bench, watching the street.

"How did you get here?" finally asked Yugi, thinking maybe forcing the conversation would keep her from overthinking.

"I took a bus. I wanted to see you because..." He looked at his feet, nervously.

"Because?"

Mokuba bit his lower lip, before turning to her. "I'm the one who told Seto about you and Joey. I'm really sorry!" He blurted out with the honesty of a child confessing a wrong deed.

So she'd been right. Feeling the frustration rising, and her mind ready to spit out whatever mean words came up, Yugi stopped herself. It wasn't his fault. He was just a kid. A kid that had no one in the world but his big brother. He'd done what he thought was right. Her anger and sadness were just looking for a way out. As she didn't reply, he went on.

"I just... I heard Seto say he was a nuisance... And I didn't want you to stop playing with me and Seto. I... I know he's been mean to you because of that. But I'll make it up to you, I promise. But please, don't hate my big brother!"

Her eyes widened in surprise, and she opened her mouth to answer but found herself unable to formulate her thoughts. Her mind was too preoccupied to properly think about that.

"And we'll save Grandpa Muto too!" swore the youngest Kaiba. "Dr Connors is the best..."

"Connors? Grandpa's doctor is Doctor Curtis..."

It was Mokuba's turn to look surprised. "Seto didn't tell you? We're transferring him to our private clinic. We're gonna take care of him, I promise! He'll be back on his feet before you can say ouch!"

Kaiba's private clinic was practically a private hospital, and the doctors there were worldly renowned. Was that what the young CEO was going to tell her today? She suddenly got to her feet.

"Mokuba, do you know if..."

Her words were interrupted when a black car suddenly braked right in front of their bench making both of them jump. The back door suddenly opened and a man in a black suit and wearing sunglasses sprang out, brutally grabbed her by the arm and she felt herself being violently pulled inside.

"Yugi!" she heard Mokuba cry out.

Before she even had the time to scream, a wet cloth was pressed against her nose and mouth. One inhalation was enough to make her loose consciousness. The last thing she saw before her eyes closed was the door shutting.

* * *

 ***Sigh* I just can't help myself with the cliffhangers, can I? (Someone told me that makes me a horrible human being!) I hope you guys are pumped for next chapter! Mwahahaha!**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	15. See-through

**Guess who? And before you ask, yes! It is still because of my bet! But admit it, you guys are totally taking advantage of that! Guess it works out for all of us in a way! :)**

 **Sorry Lowe, it isn't exactly a fat baby. You'll have to do with that, I didn't want to spoil what follows. *Mwahahaha***

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

When she started pulling out of her sleep, the first thing she felt was soft, and comfortable velvet. So soft she almost went straight back to sleep. But as soon as her latest memories reached her mind, her eyes flashed open and she sat up in a movement of panic. Looking around the room, she got confused. When you get kidnapped, you usually expect to find yourself in a remote, isolated location, far away from anything civil, and hands and feet, tied up. But the place she woke up in made her feel like she'd fallen into a fairy tail picture book. From the looks of it, it was a luxurious living room. The very couch she was sitting seemed to be worth more than her entire house. A two walls were fully covered in giant book shelves going all the way up to the high ceiling. There was a single huge window, letting in the light of the slowly setting sun. But somehow, this wealthy environment made the whole thing more disturbing.

'Where the hell am I? Never mind that, I gotta get out of here!'

Jumping out of her seat, she went to grab the handle of a big white door. But before she could even touch it, it turned. Her heart jumped in her chest and she backed off as it opened, revealing a tall man in a black suit. Just like the one that had grabbed her.

"Good, you're awake," he said, before snatching her wrist. "Come on, the boss is waiting for you."

"L-Let go off me!"

Before she could even think of using Joey's trick on this guy, she was unceremoniously shoved into the room next door. Taken away by her own weight, she almost fell down and had to grab on to a chair to stay up. Almost immediately, she whipped around to face the man in black, breath heavy with fear. But he remained in front of the door and looked past her.

"I've brought her, Sir."

"Thank you, Kemo." replied a masculine voice at the end of the room. "Make sure no one disturbs us."

"As you wish."

Kemo exited the room, shutting the door behind him, and Yugi turned around. This room was much bigger than the other one. It had a long table with multiple chairs all around it, enough for thirty people to sit at. Only the chair at the very end of the table was flipped around, but she could see someone was sitting there. Long silver hair was sticking out above it.

"I do hope my boys were gentle with you," said the man. "My apologies for the rough invitation. But I just wanted to see you so very much, Miss Muto."

Every word that came out of his mouth, and the fact that he knew her name sent shivers down her spine. "Who are you? A-And where am I?"

"Straightaway to business then? Very well."

The man stood up and turned to face her. He had an expensive red suit that was hard to miss, and long silver colored hair, that covered the left side of his face. She had trouble putting her finger on it, but she felt something familiar.

"I know you..."

"We've never met face to face, but a game enthusiast such as yourself has probably heard a lot about me. My name is Maximillion Pegasus."

Now that name struck a chord. Industrial Illusions was a company that'd made incredible games, regular and video alike, over the past ten years, and she'd never missed a chance to play any of them. Duel Monsters had been by far her favorite of all time. This knowledge made this situation even stranger. Why had the president of her favorite gaming company kidnapped her? Pegasus smirked and slowly walked towards her, hands behind his back.

"There's no need to be scared, Yugi dear. I won't harm you in any way. I simply need you to do something for me."

Somehow, she had trouble believing that. He had kidnapped her. "W-What do you mean?"

"Why don't you have a seat? I can have some tea prepared as well."

Sitting. As in, being pushed into a corner. He stopped a few feet from her. "N-No thank you," she replied taking a step back.

Her eyes looked around. There were three exit ways. The windows couldn't open, and she doubted that she had the strength to break the glass. That left the door behind her, the one on the opposite wall from the windows, and the one on the other side of the room.

"You can try running if you want," said the man, as if he read her mind. "Just know that each door is either locked or guarded. You'd be wasting both of our times."

"What do you want from me?"

A soft chuckle escaped the tall man's lips, and instead of replying, he pulled his hand from behind his back and placed something on the table. Yugi's eyes widened in terror. The golden box. Her mind connected the dots. The police had found nothing missing from the shop, because what the thieves had been after had been in her room. And if Pegasus had it, that meant...

"You attacked my Grandpa?" she asked though she knew the answer, her voice shaking.

"I told my... temporary friends to get the puzzle back at whatever cost. They might have gone overboard with all the nervousness. Two of them are still in the hospital after an encounter with you."

He was speaking of Keith and his partner of course. "How could you? Grandpa's done nothing wrong!" she shouted. "He was innocent! Why would you do this?!"

"I did not ask for the details of the encounter, but he was probably trying to protect your precious puzzle. If I didn't know better, I'd say he knew more about it than what he told you. Wouldn't you say, Yugi dear?"

She shook her head in disbelief. This guy was insane! There was not a hint of regret in his words, in fact he seemed almost proud of it. She took a few steps back, but stopped when her eyes landed on the box again. "What do you want from me?" she asked, in a whisper.

"It's quite simple really," he said opening the golden box and picking up the halfway completed puzzle and showing it to her. "I just want you to finish this for me."

She felt it again. The uneasiness of seeing someone else touch the ancient artifact made her want to jump forward and take it back. But this time, her will to stay away was just as strong. This thing... everything had started going crazy when she got it. If she could go back in time and toss it in that canal like she'd planed to... but that was impossible. This thing brought darkness and bad luck, not only to her but now to her grandfather too. Shaking her head some more, she then threw an determined glare at the billionaire.

"No way... I'm never touching that thing again!"

To her misery, her voice came out as a high pitched, frightened squeak instead of a firm affirmation. Pegasus seemed surprised, but quickly regained his cocky smile, which didn't help to reassure her. He placed the puzzle back in the golden box, and slowly walked towards her.

"It seems you have more bark than it seems, Yugi dear." She hit the door behind her, as he hovered over her. He wasn't as tall as Kaiba, but it was still way taller than her. "However, you don't seem to consider the consequences of refusing my demand."

Her thoughts immediately went to her helpless grandfather, but then she remembered Mokuba's last words. "Y-You won't be able to touch him. He's in a safe place."

"I already know that the Kaiba private clinic has taken him in, I have eyes and ears everywhere. Even so, you are correct. But that only applies to your grandfather, doesn't it?"

A chill made goosebumps appear all over her skin, and she felt her cold sweat on her back. "W-What do you mean by that?"

He chuckled again, and moved his hair out of the way to uncover his left eyes. A golden left eye of Horus. Yugi thought her heart was going to stop. "You are familiar with the Millennium items, I believe. This is the Millennium Eye."

She'd have looked away, but it seemed almost more hypnotic than the puzzle itself. Was it because this was the Eye, or because she was still under shock? All she knew was that, she became unable to move, or look away. His fingers tickled her chin as he lowered his face closer to her.

"Let's have a peek, shall we?"

The sensation she felt was unlike anything she'd ever experienced, even with the Puzzle. It was making her cold, dizzy and nauseous at the same time. But most of all, it felt like something was traveling to every corner of her mind, forcing it's way through. Forget not being able to blink, she'd lost control of her very thoughts. Sweat fell down her face and she panted loudly, while the tremors of her body only got stronger.

"Wh...What are you..." she tried to say.

"My what do we have here? What nice friends you have, Yugi-dear. Kisa Yamato and Tea Gardner. How kind of them to spend time with the shy little girl that you are. I see that you all go to the same school as well. That makes it much easier to find them."

Fear struck Yugi's heart, adding to the awful sensation. But before she could even formulate an answer, he continued.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at how close you are to Kaiba-boy. He did take in your grandfather. What's this? He's quite possessive of you. An investment, what a terrible thing to say." Pegasus chuckled yet again. "Talk about denial. But I suppose he is out of my reach as well."

His grip on her chin suddenly tightened and his face came even closer. "Show me more. What is more precious to you than anything else?"

All her will finally gave her the strength to shut her eyes, but that only made him laugh again. His hair brushed against her cheek and she heard him whisper in her ear. "Closing your eyes won't stop the Eye from Seeing, Yugi dear. Try all you want, you have nothing to protect your mind."

For a moment, she wished she could hear the voice. She wanted to get out of this grasp that was invading her mind like this. But the puzzle felt so far away... There was no voice, other than the one speaking in her ear. So she tried something else. Picturing walls in her mind, she tried to push the invader away, out of her memories. But that was as effective as shutting her eyes. She was helpless. Her frozen body didn't allow her to fight back physically, and her mind was no match whatever was lurking inside it, breaking down every door. Someone... Anyone. She needed help before... before she broke. To her despair, Pegasus spoke again.

"Joey Wheeler." The name made her eyes flash open. "So this is the one who stole your heart. How romantic. The bully turned lover, a real lady and tramp story," he mocked. "Oh... but you haven't told him about that little spark in your heart it seems."

Panic seemed to help return some of her movements, but she barely had control over them. She felt herself grip the man's vest. "S-Stop..."

"Poor dear. You tried telling him about all your misery. But he didn't believe you."

She felt it again. That same sharp, horrible sting in her chest from before when he'd said those words. _All of that ain't real, okay?_ The abandonment, the loneliness of that moment... The tears that fell off her face dripped onto her tormentor's hand.

"Please stop..." she begged, her grip on his vest tightening. "No more..."

"Your mind is so easy to read, squeezing out your entire life would be as easy as breathing," he said, teasingly. "But I have what I want."

Just like that, as soon as Pegasus released her, the invasive presence inside her mind was gone. But having her memories forcefully brought out and relived seemed had made her sweat buckets, and it was a miracle she was still standing with how much her legs were shaking. She panted, struggling to regain normal breathing. A hand passed on her forehead, wiping the sweat and getting her bangs out of the way.

"What a fragile little thing you are. Quite pathetic, really" he muttered, as if she couldn't hear him.

She only then realized that she was still hanging on to him, and quickly pushed him away with all the strength she could muster up. She saw that it was a mistake when her legs gave in and she ungracefully slid down the wall and landed heavily on her butt. Following her movement, Pegasus knelt in front of her, and she tried to sink deeper in the wall, away from him.

"Let's make a deal. During your time here, you will be given everything you need. Complete the Puzzle for me and I will be sure to keep away from your friends."

"W-Why do you need me for this?" she asked.

"For the Millennium's true power to awake, it must be completed by the same hands that started it," he said. "That is what I was told when I learned about the Puzzle for the first time. Finish what you have started Yugi dear, and ensure the safety of your friends. What do you say?"

She looked up at the golden box on the table. What choice did she have? Unable to voice it, she simply nodded in response.

* * *

"Well?" asked Tea, as the two friends were waiting at the south entrance of Catfish park. "Any luck?"

Kisa hung up her phone and shook her head. "No one saw her at school."

Just at that moment, Joey came out of the park, almost out of breath. "I went all around it. No sign of her."

"Oh, come on," protested Tea. "Where is she? This wouldn't have happened if you and Kaiba hadn't acted like five year olds."

"Hey, cool it! Moneybags is the one who made the first move! It's not my fau..."

"Stop it!" Ordered Kisa. "This is not helping. Let's go to the Game Shop, it's the only place where we haven't checked out."

The three odd companions made their way towards their friend's home.

Joey walked a little behind the girls, eyes staring into nothingness. Tea was right, this was his fault. She was upset enough to the point of thinking she was cursed. He shouldn't have let Kaiba rile him up like that. Thing is, he couldn't remember the last time he'd stopped himself. Once the anger had him by the guts, it was hard to hold back. Especially when assholes with sharp tongues like Kaiba were so good at provoking. In any case, he'd have to apologize to Yugi when he saw her. Was she crying again? Alone in a corner where no one could find her? A hand on his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts. Kisa smiled at him.

"Hey. It's gonna be okay. Yugi knows that you're someone she can trust."

The class rep meant well, but that kindness only highlighted his guilt. Looking down at his feet, he replied. "I screwed up pretty bad, huh?"

"Everyone screws up. Just be here for her, that's all she needs."

Those words made him smile, if only just a little. He understood better what Yugi had said about the class rep really acting like a mom. Today, she'd been the only one acting according to the situation, like Yugi needed. He'd forgotten that unlike Tea, she'd been willing to trust him with her best friend. And she didn't have an easy life herself. It wasn't a secret that she'd been raised in an orphanage. In a way, they were kind of similar.

"Thanks, Kisa," he said.

"Finally got you to drop the 'class rep'?" she said, teasingly.

"Can I ask ya somethin'? I know I always dissed ya for watchin' out for Kaiba, but why d'ya care so much? It's not like he treats ya better than anybody else..."

It was Kisa's turn to look surprised. She looked up ahead. "You know how people say that first impressions count?"

An old memory appeared in his mind. "Yeah... Yeah, I totally know what ya mean."

"The first time I saw him, he was playing with Yugi. I didn't know he was Seto Kaiba. I wasn't even friends with Yugi back then. To put it briefly, he was smiling."

Kaiba? Smiling? For some reason, it felt like it would be the apocalypse if that ever happened.

"No matter what he said or did after that, I couldn't get that smile out of my head," she continued, but her small smile slowly faded. "After that, I saw..."

"KISA!"

The voice interrupted the two classmates, and made the three of them look up a head. A young boy with long black hair was running towards them in panic. A nasty bruise colored his cheek, and Joey could tell he'd been punched by someone with big hands.

"Mokuba!" said Kisa, getting down on one knee as the boy almost slammed into her. "What happened to you? Are you alright? Where's your brother?"

Mokuba didn't even wait to catch his breath, and his eyes looked pleadingly at Kisa's. "It's Yugi..." he said in between heavy breaths. "Yugi...they grabbed her... the men... in black...in a car..."

"What?!"

"I tried to help... but I...I got punched..." he said, his eyes, tearing up. "I tried..."

Joey felt something grab his gut, but it wasn't anger or irritation this time. It was the same sensation as when he'd seen Yugi jump in the freezing water to get her puzzle, only a hundred times stronger. His insides contracted and he grabbed the boy by the collar.

"Where did they take her?!"

With a mixture of fear, confusion and shock, Mokuba let out. "I don't know..."

"Ya're the only one who was there, ya're the only one who can tell us! Which way were they headin'?!" he shouted louder, shaking him.

"Joey! Stop, you're hurting him!" said Kisa, pulling the youngest Kaiba out of his grasp.

"I didn't see anything!" assured Mokuba, before searching through his pockets. "But I grabbed this from the guy who punched me."

The object was a thick golden ring with an I on it. It hadn't been cleaned in a while, but how the hell was that suppose to help?

"Ugh!" growled the blond. "This ain't gonna get us anywhere!"

He raised his arm to toss the useless piece of jewelry as far as possible, but two hands blocked him.

"Slow down, you block head!" said Tea, before grabbing the ring from him. "Give me that."

Without any explanation, she took a tissue out of her pocket and started rubbing the top very quickly.

"Are ya serious?!" shouted Joey. "We don't got time for polishing! We gotta find Yugi!"

"Give me a sec, geez!" she said. She kept polishing until an air of triumph lit up her face. "Aha! I knew it! Look!"

The dirt having been thoroughly cleaned off, a small number two appeared at the bottom right of the I. The rising irritation grew more and he was about to lash out again, until Mokuba and Kisa's faces were struck by shock.

"That's..." began the class representative.

"That's the logo of Industrial Illusions!" exclaimed Mokuba.

"Industrial what now?" asked Joey, sweat-dropping with confusion.

"It's a company that makes games, the bests according to Yugi," said Kisa. "She's been buying their stuff for years. What does that mean? If the guys who took her were wearing this... Mokuba, you said they were in black? Did you mean black suits?"

"Yeah," assured the boy, certain of his memory. "They had sunglasses too! And the car looked like our limousine but smaller."

"Those guys weren't thugs. They were employees," said Tea, a look of disbelief on her face. "But that means they work for a high figure."

Once again, Mokuba's wisdom kicked in. "The president of the company is Maximillion Pegasus. Seto had problems with him before, when he tried buying back Kaiba Corps. We even went to his mansion."

The blond couldn't digest what he was being fed, here. "Why the hell would a guy like him want anythin' to do with Yugi? I know she's good at that stuff but seriously?"

"Can you think of any reason anyone would want to kidnap Yugi in the first place?" reprimanded Tea. "I know it sounds crazy, but it's our only lead."

"Wait Tea," said Kisa. "Joey's right. There's something fishy about this. There has to be something they want from her. Like her gaming skills or... a game."

None of them failed the pause the white-haired girl took. "The police said they found nothing missing from the shop. But they didn't check Yugi's room or the upper floors."

"Her puzzle?"

"That's the only thing I can think of. It's not just a game, it's an ancient artifact. I know some people are pretty obsessed with getting their hands on those."

As if triggered, Tea took her phone out and did a quick internet search. What she found not only added weight to their suspicions, but nearly confirmed them. "Pegasus isn't just a game creator. He's a rare artifact collector. What is Yugi's puzzle called again?"

She added the word Millennium to her search. An article pulled up immediately. It seemed that a couple of years ago, Pegasus had indeed purchased an item called the Millennium Eye. At this point, Joey's heart was going faster than a Kaiba Corps jet plane. Some lunatic billionaire collector had stolen Yugi's puzzle, and probably attacked old man Muto as well, and then kidnapped her? There was something weird about all of this... He then remembered her words. Her words he thought were just product of a confused and traumatized mind.

" _I should have told him it was cursed! I should've given it to them! It's just a stupid puzzle, I should have just let them take it! But I couldn't, Joey... Why couldn't I let go?"_

Someone had already tried to take it from her. She'd told him... and he hadn't listened.

'Holy...What did I do?'

* * *

 **Sorry if I used too much anime logic to solve this one, but I couldn't figure another way out of it. You'll forgive me right? Right? No? Oh. Well... Hope you enjoyed it anyways!**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	16. Darkness

**Hey guys! I had time to kill and frustration to vent out, so this one came out a little early. Not that you guys are going to complain, right? No one gets to complain!**

 **Lowe, you know the drill!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

" _I tried calling Seto a hundred times, but he's not answering. And it's Hobson's day off. Then I saw you."_

" _We don't exactly got time to wait for moneybags," said Joey. "I'll go to Pegasus's mansion."_

" _Are you nuts?!" exclaimed Tea. "You'll never make it alone. We should call the cops."_

 _Kisa shook her head. "They'll never believe us, we don't have any proof."_

" _Then we're coming with!"_

" _Sorry, but ya guys can't fight for shit. Tristan can take care of himself at least. I'll take him with me."_

" _You don't decide for us. Yugi needs us, we're coming with," almost snapped the Class representative._

" _I can help!" insisted Mokuba. "I've been to his mansion before, and I have a pretty good memory. Seto made me memories the blueprints before we went there. The house is gigantic, you'll get lost on your own!"_

" _Okay fine. But whatever happens, ya stick close, alright?"_

* * *

"Obvious question," said Tristan, looking at the giant gate in their way, "but how the hell are we suppose to get through that?"

"We climb, what else?" replied Joey.

"You don't want to do that," said Mokuba. "The fence is electrified and there are cameras all around the place. Not to mention the dogs and the guards."

"I don't know about this Joey," said Tristan, nervously biting at his thumbnail. "Even if Yugi is in there, it seems way too risky to go through."

The pissed off glare he got from his hotheaded friend didn't warn him fast enough, and he found himself nearly strangled when Joey grabbed him by the collar. "We don't even know what that guy's doin' to her, ya idiot! I ain't waitin' for her to get scarred, ya hear?!"

"Calm down man! I'm just saying, us getting caught won't help her."

"Tch," let out the blond before pushing him away. "Ya do whatever the hell ya want, I'm gettin' her."

"And I ask again," said Tristan, rolling his eyes and rubbing his neck. "How?"

"There's no other way, I'm gettin' over that fence."

Tea face-palmed. "Did you hear a word of what Mokuba said?"

"Got a better idea? We're wastin' time here!"

"There's another way in."

Those words earned Mokuba the attention of the four high schoolers. With a sign of the hand, he told them to follow him, and led them further up the street, away from the main entrance gate. They stopped a few hundred yards away.

"My brother always makes me memorize escape routes of whatever places we're going to. And I've been here a couple of times."

"Seriously?" said Tristan, sweat-dropping. "You've got to be kidding me, who does that? Is your brother paranoid or what?"

The boy's face twisted in embarrassment. "I'm Seto's obvious weakness. Ever since he became the president of Kaiba Corps, I've been kidnapped nine times. So we started taking precautions."

The group of teens looked at each other, bewildered. No wonder the kid was so reactive and clever if he'd been through that nine times. Mokuba then knelt down and grabbed the sewer manhole at their feet and pulled it open. A second later, all of them aside from Joey covered their noses as they caught on to the stench.

"Yuk, that reeks!" complained the pointy haired boy. "Are we seriously going in there?"

Mokuba frowned at him, as he stepped onto the metal latter. "Don't be difficult. It's the only way to get in. You coming or what?"

Hearing that from a kid billionaire seemed to get them over it quickly enough. Joey was the first to jump in after Mokuba. The smell was nothing. Nothing compared to the trash smelling shit joint of a neighborhood he lived in. Hoshu's reputation wasn't really built on the natural perfumes of the place. It stank of death mostly. Living there all his life had pretty much made him immune to most offensive smells. He had much more important things to worry about.

'Hang in there, Yug.'

Their walk in the stinky tunnel didn't last any longer than fifteen minutes but it sure felt like ages to all of them, curtesy of the smell. Lighting the way with his phone, Mokuba finally stopped and looked up at another latter.

"Okay, this is the closest there is to the mansion. No more dogs at this point, but there are a lot of cameras." Searching through his little bag, he took out a laser pointer. "We can blind them with this for a few seconds. What now?"

"Ya know the place. Does he have a dungeon or anythin' like that? Somewhere he could've locked up Yugi?"

"No, the basement is a wine cellar," replied Mokuba. "Pegasus probably put her in a guest room on the second floor to keep an eye on her. But there's no way to be sure."

"Then we'll just have to check everything," decided the blond boy. "Cellar, guest rooms, anywhere else ya think she could be?"

Mokuba stayed silent for a few minutes, going over what he remembered of the gigantic house. "The garage, and the attic, I guess. And the whole north wing is usually unused."

"That means we're gonna have to split up," said Joey. "I'll go upstairs and to the attic. Tristan, ya find a way to the cellar and the garage, they gotta be on the same level."

"What about us?" said Tea. "We stay here playing Duel Monsters until you guys get back?"

Irritation gaining more ground, Joey scratched his head nervously. "Ah, this is why I didn't want ya guys to tag along in the first place!"

"I took self-defense at the orphanage for a couple of years," said Kisa, probably hoping to add weight to Tea's demand.

"Mokuba, what's the safest place in there?" asked Tristan.

"The cellar and attic are not guarded."

"Okay change of plan," said the self-proclaimed leader. "Tea, kid, ya both stick with Tristan. Class rep, ya're comin' with me, ya'll check the attic. If we don't find anythin', let's meet here. If ya get caught, run for it. Deal?"

"Deal!" replied Tea, Tristan and Kisa.

"Wait a second," said Mokuba. "I know how to get out of the mansion. How do you plan on getting us in undetected?"

"Got a water bottle on ya?"

The kid made a curious face, but looked through his bag and pulled out a small glass water bottle. Guess rich kids preferred their bottles a certain way. But it was perfect, actually, he hadn't expected Mokuba to have one. He turned to his schoolmates.

"Anybody got a piece of cloth, a handkerchief, anything 'bout the size of a dishcloth?"

Kisa immediately brought her hands up to take off the bandana she was wearing around her neck and handed it to him. After emptying whatever water was left in the glass bottle, Joey searched the inner pockets of his jacket and pulled out a small metallic flask, making Tea's jaw practically hit the floor.

"Is that alcohol?"

"Whisky," he confirmed.

"Why the hell do you have that?"

"It's a precaution for his old man. In case he throws a tantrum and they're out of booze," explained Tristan before frowning at his pal. "I don't like where this is going Joey. This isn't a gang issue. We're not in Hoshu. You might seriously regret this..."

"Relax," he interrupted. "I ain't gonna start a fire. I just need to make a lot o' noise and a lot o' smoke."

Tristan sighed but let it go, knowing it was pointless trying to convince him. As his audience watched, Joey started by filling the bottom of the bottle with the whisky. Then, he twisted the bandana until it too a rope like shape, inserted it into the bottle until it touched the bottom, and let half of it sticking out. He gave it to Tristan to hold as he took out two tobacco packs out of his jacket, shocking the girls again.

"You smoke?" asked Kisa, not remembering ever smelling anything on him.

He didn't answer. The looks of bewilderment and mistrust on Tea and Kisa's faces was enough, he wasn't going to make it worse by defending his case. Been there, done that. Besides, he was barely listening anymore. His memories of the Scarlet Wolves teaching him this trick didn't even bother him. He didn't have time to worry about any of that. This wasn't a matter of setting a rival gang's cars on fire. He had to do it. For her. Opening the two packs, he stuffed the tobacco inside the bottle, before putting some sewer water over the dry leaves. That would make it smoky enough. Now, to make it blasty...He turned to Mokuba.

"D'ya remember where the kitchen is?"

"Uh...yeah."

He then looked at them. He wouldn't drag anyone against their will in this. But he wasn't stopping. Taking his lighter out, he asked the final question.

"Last chance to back out, guys. What's it gonna be?"

* * *

"...You know... I-It's kind of difficult focusing with you staring..." she let out, without daring to turn around.

It was dark outside already. Yugi'd been moved to what seemed to be a sumptuous guest room, with magnificent red velvet curtains, golden painted ceiling and a bed fit for a king. She was sitting at the desk near the window, the golden box in front of her and holding the pieces. Meanwhile, her 'host' had been sitting in an armchair, in another corner of the room, a book in his hand. But she could feel his eyes burning in her back every now and then. Call it the coward's six sense. And every time she felt it, her hands shook.

"I'm sorry, I'm simply curious," replied Pegasus. "You have a real gift Yugi dear. Ever thought of exploiting it more?"

"N-Not really..."

"What a shame. If you'd let me take care of you, I could guarantee you a superb career."

"..."

She couldn't believe this. The man had hospitalized her grandfather, threatened her friends, kept her against her will and now, he wanted her to work for him? He really was insane. Suddenly, she felt the sting in her mind again.

"Forgive my forwardness, but I am a businessman after all. Calling me insane is a bit rude, though."

"Please stop doing that," she said, putting her hands on her head and shutting her eyes, even though she knew full well that it wouldn't help.

"Think about it while you're here. You'd be passing a great opportunity."

There was anger, she felt it. But the fear was just as strong, so her voice was just a level under threatening when she said, "I will never work for you."

"Pity," he said, but there was amusement in his voice. "Is this bit of bravery to impress your Joey?"

She froze and blood rushed to her face. What was he talking about? Pegasus chuckled again. "You don't have to think about something for the Millennium Eye to see it, Yugi dear. It works just as well to read the subconscious."

The embarrassment she felt was awful. Having this man peek at her mind every given moment was like having a surgeon cut right through her and examine her insides while she was still conscious. Not to mention that it made her nauseous too. Her heart hammered in her chest as she tried to get her thoughts under control. Futile yes, but what else could she do? Problem is, trying not to think of something usually fails. Pegasus had been pretty quick to call the blond boy her, quote unquote, 'lover'. But she was still unsure of what she felt for him. She liked him a lot, for sure. There was no denying that part of the equation. The image of a bonfire popped in her head. Old Joffo singing, enchanting everyone, including her. The fear and troubles all disappearing. And dancing. Dancing with him. Warmth. She was pulled out of her daze when she felt a shadow over her and tensed up completely. Her host was standing right behind her chair.

"The offer is still open, dearest," he said, his long silver hair caressing her naked shoulder, as he leaned forward. "People usually quickly change their mind when they see just how advantageous certain deals can be."

That was strange. To get his hands on the Puzzle he had gone as far as to put her Grandpa in the hospital. And now he was negotiating with her? She couldn't wrap her mind around Pegasus. Weird, and frankly, all the more reason to be worried about him.

"It's quite late already. Don't feel like you have to finish today. You'll be taken care of as long as you stay here. No need to rush."

"The faster I'm done, the faster this will be all over," she muttered.

Again, he chuckled. "True. You really are fascinating, Yugi dear. If only there was a way to keep you, alas, a deal is a dea..."

The door suddenly burst open, interrupting the collector. The man named Kemo stepped into the room, an air of urgency about him. "Mister Pegasus, Sir, we have a problem."

The man in the red suit stepped away from her and joined his bodyguard at the door. Kemo whispered something to him that Yugi didn't catch, but the worried look on her kidnapper's face told her it was slightly important.

"If it's not serious, just put it out," said the collector, clearly annoyed.

"But Sir, it seems to have started in the kitchen..."

That seemed to spark him up. "What?! What are you waiting for? Have the artifacts removed right away, you incompetent idiot! Never mind, I'll go myself."

"Yes, Sir. What about the girl?"

"Just lock the door."

The two of them stepped out and the lock clicked. Twice. Ironically, that's what made her muscles relax. They had said 'put out, started and kitchen'. Yugi concluded that it was probably a fire, but what had alarmed Pegasus was definitely something else. Not that she cared, so she turned back to her initial problem. She'd been handling the Puzzle for hours now. In all that time, she'd found only one matching piece. But it was clear that the shape was going to be triangular. Like an upside down pyramid. How can such a small thing bring so much trouble? Sighing again, she picked it up, along with another piece.

 _Don't worry_

She nearly dropped it. "No. No, not again..."

 _I'll protect you_

"I don't want you to protect me!" she shouted, rising from her seat. "I don't want you to do anything! Do you have any idea what I've gone through because of you? I got attacked twice! My Grandpa might never wake up, and my oldest friend hates me! So leave me alone! I don't want anything from you!"

Wow, she didn't know she was capable of dishing something like that out. But she didn't want to do this anymore. This game was dangerous and she didn't like it. She just wanted to quit. A long moment of silence followed her cry.

 _I'm sorry_

She shook her head, staring at the golden puzzle in disbelief. "Who are you?"

No answer this time. But she felt it. The presence that came with the voice. And then suddenly, the cold gold in her shaking hands started to heat up. A gentle warmth spread throughout her body, silencing the tremors and vanquishing the shivers. She knew that feeling. It was what happened when she was scared or sad and her grandfather would hug her. Actually, no. It was stronger. More like when Joey picked her out of the canal and carried her home. Confused as hell, but following her intuition, she sat back down and picked up a puzzle piece... only to instantly find the matching spot. The same thing happened to the next one. And the one after that. Like her mind was working at a thousand miles an hour, and her own consciousness couldn't follow. Why was it so simple all of a sudden? Soon, there were only three pieces left, including the eye of Horus.

'Just three more. Almost there...'

BANG!

Her heart almost jumped out of her chest, and she whipped around to look at the entrance. Soon enough, the same noise repeated. Surely Pegasus wasn't trying to break the door down in his own mansion. What the heck? She stood up, about to retreat further in the room, but too late. A third impact made the door break, and a blond figure in a green trench-coat tumbled into the room.

"Joey?!"

He was out of breath, buckets of sweat streamed down his face and he held his shoulder, like he was in pain. But he was here. The instant he saw her, he ran to her and wrapped his arms so strongly around her that it expelled the air out. An awful sewer stench filled her nose.

"I knew... it," he said, in between huffs. "Only...locked door... had to be...the one..."

"Joey, what are you doing here? H-How are you here?"

Ignoring her question, he released her and brought his hands to her face. "Are ya okay Yug? Did he do anythin' to ya, did he? Are ya hurt anywhere?!"

"I-I'm okay," she assured.

Physically at least, it was true. But she didn't really have time to elaborate on the mind screwing. Because even before she could utter another word, his lips crashed on hers. She didn't know until this point that she could take that many shocks in such a short time. The clumsy and brutal kiss didn't even last half a second, and next thing she knew, he was choking-hugging her again. She felt him shake against her.

"I'm so sorry, Yugi. I shouldn't have left ya. Thank God, ya're alright."

Missing air, she tried to push him away, but he was like a stone. "C-C'an't breath!"

"Sorry!" he said, releasing her.

"H-How did you get in? And how did you even find me?" she asked, confused as hell.

"Questions later, Yug," he snatched her wrist. "Come on, we gotta bail!"

Right. Priorities. "Wait!" She tossed the Puzzle and the three remaining pieces in the golden box and grabbed it, before letting the boy drag her out of the room and down the unbelievably long hallway. While they ran, Joey took out his phone.

"Tristan, I got her. Meet up at the manhole, we're blowing this joint."

"Tristan's here too?"

"Tea and the class rep too," he replied, never slowing down. "And the Kaiba brat."

"Mokuba?!"

Unbelievable. They were all crazy. And she loved them for it. If time aloud it, she probably would've cried again. Some things never changed, her being a crybaby probably was one of those. They made a right turn and the large staircase that led downstairs was in sight. And in front of it, Maximillian Pegasus, with Kemo by his side. Joey brutally came to a halt and she slammed into his back.

"Stay back, Yug!" he ordered.

"Ah, here is the last troublemaker," said Pegasus, as if he was happy to see them. "You must be so thrilled, Yugi dear. Your knight in shining armor came for you. Well, knight in rags more like it. So which one of you, little rats, do I get to charge with arson, and breaking and entering?"

"Ya got some nerve, pal," growled Joey. "Ya kidnap Yugi and ya want to sue us? I'm gonna show ya what ya get for messin' with my buddies!"

Yugi was about to stop him, but Pegasus beat her to the punch. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Joey-boy. Have a look down the stairs."

As if on cue, three men in black suits pushed in Kisa, Mokuba, Tea and Tristan, holding them at gun point. Mokuba was the first to spot them.

"Yugi!"

Both her and Joey were frozen on spot. He threw a murderous glare at Pegasus. "Ya son of a bitch! Let 'em go!"

"Now, I believe you have something that belongs to me."

Yugi felt her arms tighten around the golden box. Just like before. She couldn't let him have it.

"Touch her, and I'll rip yar face off, ya hear?" growled Joey, voice dripping with murder intent.

"How crude. I was speaking of the Puzzle. Unfortunately, I also need Yugi dear to finish it for me."

"Just pay for someone smarter that ya to do it," snapped Joey. "That's what rich bastards like ya are best at."

The man in red sighed. "It seems you need to be taught manners." To Yugi's horror, Pegasus moved his hair out of the way, revealing the Eye. "Let's see what it is you lack exactly, Joey Wheeler."

The look of anger vanished on Joey's face, to be replaced by one of shock and dismay. He was looking straight ahead, like he was seeing something they weren't. She grabbed his harm and shook him.

"Joey? Joey, Can you hear me? Joey!"

"Se...Serenity..." he let out, never taking his eyes off whatever he was seeing.

"Found it," crooned the collector. "Through your entire sad, scarred, disease of a life, this is what got you? What a tragedy. Do you remember, Joey boy? How you felt back then?"

"AAAAARGH!"

Joey's scream resonated in the entire mansion, freezing Yugi's blood in her veins. He fell to his knees, holding his skull and grunting like his head was going to pop. She tried to grab him before fell completely, but he was too heavy, so she landed painfully on her knees.

"Joey!" shouted Tristan, who could clearly see something was wrong from where he was.

"You sicko! Leave him alone!" shouted Kisa.

What was he seeing? What was he remembering? Holding him didn't do anything, and he couldn't hear her. She couldn't do anything.

"Stop! Please stop! I'll do whatever you want!" she begged.

"You know what to do Yugi dear," replied the man, as calm as ever. "I know you're almost done."

One last glance at Joey's pain-twisted face, was enough. She opened her box and picked up her remaining pieces. Closing her eyes, she conjured a mental 3D model of the Puzzle and her remaining pieces. Not this way. Not like this. The other side maybe. Yes! Quickly, she placed the two first pieces. The Eye of Horus was the last one. Joey's agony didn't allow her to hesitate, she inserted the last piece, completing the Millennium Puzzle.

The next step was to get up and give it to Pegasus. But the instant she looked up, she was suddenly pulled back. Far far away from them. From Joey. From Pegasus. From the mansion. Only to find herself in pitch black darkness. There was nothing to see and nothing to hear. But something was holding her. Something was carrying her. It was hard to describe, but there was a shape above her, even darker than the rest. All she could see from it were the eyes. Filled with light, contrasting with the eternal darkness of wherever she was. Above the eyes, shun the Eye of Horus. Just like the one on the Puzzle and the Eye.

 _What is your wish?_

It was the voice again. She spoke the words before she could even think them.

"Save my friends."

And it engulfed her.

* * *

When the pain finally left him, it felt like his head had exploded like a watermelon, and was now all over the place. Just what the hell had happened to him? It was like he'd relived all the most painful moments of his life a hundred times over. His heartbeat resonated in his skull like a drum. Nonetheless, he heard the bastard's voice.

"Very good, Yugi dear. I knew you wouldn't fail me. Now, bring it to me."

"Yug, don't..." he started saying, but a new wave of pain assaulted his brain, keeping him on the ground, writhing.

She stood up, facing Pegasus but didn't move. And suddenly, the Puzzle in her hand illuminated, blinding everyone in the room. He closed his eyes to escape the flash. But when it faded, his headache had miraculously vanished. Everyone, the gang and goons alike seemed confused, while Pegasus looked like he'd seen a ghost. Joey looked back to Yugi. She was standing there, staring at the man in red with a glare he'd never seen on her. And that presence...Imposing, cold, that could freeze anyone on the spot. He barely recognized her.

"Yugi?"

She didn't reply, as if she couldn't hear him. Slowly, she extended a hand. But the voice that spoke was not hers.

"MIND CRUSH!"

* * *

 **I was in a terrible mood so I decided to leave you all with the nastiest cliffhanger I could think of! Haaaaaave fun now!** **Ah, I love torturing my readers!**

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	17. Check

**A thousand apologies you guys, this chapter is extremely short. Painfully so, I hope the hype and the angst will make up for it! But I really don't have time to do anymore today, cause, well, it's my birthday and therefore, I am busy. I promise I will make up for it with a fat chapter next time. So apologize and I hope you enjoy it anyways.**

 **Lowe, seeing how this is all I have, I will accept if this is not enough to get my usual price. Sorry... (there will be lots of Kaiba next time!)**

 **ENJOY!**

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"Watch out, Mister Pegasus!" shouted Kemo, rushing in front of his boss and pulling out his gun.

"MIND CRUSH!"

The giant man brought his hands to his hand and released an almost inhuman-like scream. Blood leaked from his eyes, smearing on his face, before he crashed face first onto the ground. Joey jumped on his feet and stared at Yugi. No. Not Yugi. Who the hell was that? Before he could ask, she turned towards the stairs and stared murderously at the people downstairs. Raising a hand again, she spoke.

"BEGONE!"

Her voice... wasn't her voice. In fact, he could swear it was a man's voice. A very deep one at that. No way frail little Yugi could speak with such depth and confidence. But that wasn't all. Pegasus's bodyguards that were keeping the others at gunpoint, suddenly all collapsed on the ground, screaming like Kemo. But leaving the hostages untouched. What the hell was going on?

"Maximillion Pegasus!" continued Yugi, turning towards the man in red, this time. Or the thing that was speaking through her. "You have harmed the innocent, and therefore shall pay!"

"Who are you?" asked the billionaire. "Your mind... it's empty."

She didn't respond, and simply extended her hand towards him again.

"That will not be necessary, Pharaoh."

Yugi and Joey both whipped around at the same time, on guard. Behind them stood a young man about his age that Joey had never seen before. He had a Middle Eastern look, purple eyes and platinum blond hair. His clothes consisted of black pants and a purple sleeveless shirt that exposed his lower stomach, but what really stuck out was the amount of golden jewels he was wearing. As well as some sort of golden stick he carried. Even Joey didn't fail to recognize the Eye of Horus at the tip.

"You are Marik," assured the one speaking through Yugi. "She remembers you."

The one named Marik nodded before getting on one knee, left foot forward and bowed in front of her. It. Had he called her Pharaoh just a moment ago? But Yugi frowned at him, clearly not trusting the man's actions.

"Who are you really?" she asked. It asked.

Marik raised his head and responded with a very serious look. "All will be revealed soon, I promise. In the meantime, fear not, I will take care of your host. However, now is not the time, or place."

"The hell ya talkin' about? Who the hell..."

Joey didn't get the chance to finish his sentence, when with snake-like speed, Marik knocked the Puzzle out of her hands with his golden item upwards, and caught it before it could hit the ground. Joey had kept his eyes on Yugi and thank God for that, it allowed him to catch her as she tumbled backwards.

"Yug!"

"Huh? What?"

She looked around frantically, as if she'd suddenly just woke up from a deep sleep. But it was her again, and that made him sighed in relief.

"Ya okay?"

"W-What happened? I finished the Puzzle... Marik?!" she let out when she saw him.

"Impeccable timing Mr Ishtar," said Pegasus, but he didn't look the least bit amused. "What is the meaning of all of this?"

"You have witnessed the power of the Millennium Puzzle, Pegasus," explained the Egyptian, picking up the golden box and putting the Puzzle in it. "The most powerful force of the items. Mind Destruction. Was that not the result you wanted?"

"I believe what I asked for was certainly not getting attacked by a ghost, or spirit or whatever that thing was."

A smirk made it's way to Marik's face and he shrugged. "Well, you should be pleased then. Because I'll be taking the Puzzle off your hands. Thank you for the help."

"That was not the deal!"

"Have I forgot to mention? I don't make deals with collectors that steal and desecrate the treasures of my land, you self-serving miscreant. Greed is often said to be the downfall of selfish men. In this case, it is especially true."

For the first time, Pegasus seemed to loose his composure and "Why bother using me to make the girl finish the Puzzle? It makes no sense."

Yugi's eyes widened in shock, while Joey's fist tightened. He wasn't following what was happening, but he knew that that Marik guy had something to do with Yugi's kidnapping. He glanced at the others downstairs. They'd climbed halfway up the staircase but were carefully keeping their distances, probably as confused as him.

"Oh it makes perfect sense," said Marik, ignoring their reaction. "I decided to hit two birds with one stone. Why do you think I never showed my face to you until now?"

An ominous shiver of discomfort crawled up Joey's spine. He knew it well, it was his instincts speaking. Telling him that something bad was about to go down. Reflexively, he grabbed Yugi by the shoulders, bringing her closer and ready to move. Pegasus seemed to have had the same feeling, because out of nowhere he pulled out a silver gun that he pointed at Marik. Surprisingly, the Egyptian boy placed himself in front of them. Was he protecting them?

"The Millennium Eye belongs to me, and me alone!" declared Pegasus.

Marik sighed and shook his head. "Again with the greed. You really don't learn do you? The Eye and all the other Millennium Items belong to no mortal of this world. It's my destiny to bring them back together, and take them where they really belong. I suggest you hand it over without complaint."

"Over my dead body," stated the man in red.

He was like a madman. Can a piece of gold shoved in the eye really make someone that crazy?

"That can be arranged," said a gruff voice as a shadow crept up behind the collector.

He didn't even have time to turn around. A thin, long blade suddenly pierced through his back and then chest, making his red suit darken. A cry of terror escaped Yugi's mouth, and the whole gang froze up in shock. Marik was the only one unfazed. He simply sighed.

"I thought you said you wouldn't make it messy."

Pegasus didn't even get the chance to utter a scream, the blade was brutally pulled out and he crashed on the ground, the look of betrayal on his face. Behind him, holding the bloody blade and a look of sick satisfaction on his face, was their British schoolmate.

"Bakura?!" let out Tea.

"I've been on standby for weeks, the least I could get is a little action," he said, answering Marik's question. He then knelt down next to Pegasus, who's only signs of life left were the awful gurgle sound of him choking on his own blood. But soon enough, he stopped moving. Bakura grinned, before bringing his hand to the Eye, and mercilessly shoving his fingers into the eye socket of the collector. And in one fell swoop, he ripped out the golden sphere, splashing blood onto his face and stripped shirt.

"Holy shit..." muttered Tristan, still paralyzed by the scene they'd just witnessed.

Tea and Kisa also stared with horror struck faces, unable to registered what they'd seen as reality. Yugi averted her eyes and emptied the content of her stomach on the floor. Joey himself had rarely seen kills, but it happened everyday in his neighborhood. Gang executions, beat downs, stabbings... Knowing didn't make the gruesome display any less disturbing. But unlike his classmates, his survival technic was to move so he knew he could. But the short girl by his side barely stood on her own legs. She was like a deer paralyzed by the headlights of the car about to hit it. He couldn't leave her.

"What the hell is wrong with you two, psychos?!" shouted Tea.

"Be grateful, Wheeler," growled Bakura, getting back up and tossing the Eye to Marik who caught it. "We probably saved your lives. You idiots were about to get shot dead."

"Why...?" finally let out Kisa. "Why would you... why would anyone..."

"Why, that's easy." His smirk widened even more if that was possible. "It's fun."

This time Tristan shouted, finally letting the pressure of the choking atmosphere get to him. "You sick sons of bitches!"

Marik rolled his eyes and raised up the golden rod towards the stairs. The eye of Horus shun with a blinding light, but none of them looked away. After a few seconds, Tea, Kisa, Tristan and Mokuba, all fell to the ground without uttering a sound, getting a panicked gasp out of their two still conscious friends.

"Get your blood thirst under control, Thief King," reprimanded Marik. "We don't have time for this."

Too fast. Everything was going way too fast for Joey. He couldn't follow what was happening. Who were these two and what did they have to do with Yugi? What the hell had happened to Tristan and the others? They'd just passed out like rag dolls! All these questions hurt his brain. Thinking wasn't exactly his thing. So he did what he always did. Listen to his guts. And right now, that uncomfortable shift in his lower stomach told him that these two were trouble. It got confirmed when Marik turned towards them. Towards Yugi more specifically.

"You have nothing to fear pure one," he said. "No harm will come to you."

"P-Pure one?" she stuttered. "Shadi called me that... W-What does that mean?"

"It means you are destined to be sacrificed for the Pharaoh."

His abs tightened, alarming him even more. His heartbeat resonated in his head mercilessly, threatening to crack his skull, something burned his stomach and anger boiled in his vein. He may not understand everything that was going on, but he knew what they wanted her for something. So he didn't waste anymore time brainstorming, and moved. Grabbing her shoulder, he pulled her behind him.

"Take another step, psycho, and ya'll regret it!"

"Joey, don't..." she muttered from behind him.

"This does not concern you," said Marik frowning before holding the golden stick up again, to the blond's face.

The eye of Horus on it shun brilliantly again, passing right through his eyes and progressively pushing his consciousness away, slowly forcing him to a slumber... Away from feeling his own body. Away from the sight of the luxurious house. Away from the smell of Pegasus's blood, staining the floor. Away from the bland taste of his dry tongue.

"JOEY!" cried out Yugi.

His eyes flashed open, and in an instant he was back, all senses awaken and alert. He saw her, gripping his arm and looking at him with terrified eyes. But when he looked at her, a small smile of relief appeared briefly on her face. The only thing that had change was the look on Marik's face. The Egyptian was looking at the Millennium Rod with a distraught expression.

"Looks like yar little magic trick ain't gonna work me, freak show," he declared, raising his fists, as a proud smirk stretching across his face.

"I don't understand..." said Marik, more to himself than anyone else. "It's like the Puzzle is absorbing the energy of the Rod."

"Too bad for ya," spat out Joey before grabbing him by the collar. "Now talk! What the hell did you do to my pals? What's your deal with Yugi?"

"Be car...LOOK OUT!" she shouted.

Too late. Joey's eyes widened when he felt the sharp pain in his ribs. Another cry of horror escaped Yugi's mouth. His shirt suddenly started being wet and the scent of copper filled his nose. Looking to the side, he saw Bakura, holding the handle of the knife that was empaling him. How had he gotten here so fast? Quickly, his muscles started loosing strength, and he felt cold. His hands let go of Marik and moved to his flank. Next thing he knew, he hit the floor.

"You idiot!" shouted Marik. "No unnecessary collateral damage! I thought we agreed."

"No need to whine, no one is going to come after us. Don't be such a drama queen."

He could barely hear their conversation anymore. His hearing seemed to be fading almost as fast as his sight. Everything was blurry. All he could catch now, was the calls of the short girl who was trying to shake him. But he didn't feel that either. The energy was being drained as fast as the blood was exiting his body. All his will only allowed him to look up at her, unable to discern more than her shape.

"Yu...gi..."

Everything went dark. There was no pain. He felt nothing but that disgusting sensation in his stomach, telling him he'd failed. Again.

* * *

Beep. Beep. Beep.

What an annoying sound. Joey didn't think that Heaven was suppose to have any annoying sound like that. Maybe he was in Hell and this was his punishment. Soon enough, he felt pain. From his side to his chest. Now that felt familiar. Hadn't he woken up sometime ago with a similar pain, only closer to the abdomen. And when he'd woke up, there had been an intruder in his hideout. His eyes opened and he sat up.

"Yugi!" he shouted, but recoiled when the pain shot through his body again.

There was someone next to him in a chair. But it wasn't Yugi. Kisa, seemingly pulled out of her sleep, jumped on her feet and grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Joey! Take it easy!"

"Class rep? What happened? Yugi... Where's Yugi?!"

Her face shaded with shame and her she opened her mouth to answer. But it took a couple of tries. "She's... gone."

A wave of panic got a hold of him, and no matter how much pain he felt, her grabbed Kisa's arm brutally.

"What do ya mean she's gone?! She can't have just vanished into thin air!"

"We don't know!" she shouted, trying to pull herself free. "We all woke up here! They said they didn't find anyone else!"

"They? Who's they?!"

A strong hand suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him off Kisa. Tristan looked fine, just like Kisa, but he had a stressful air about him that made him look ten years older. "Watch it, man! She didn't do anything. Mokuba woke up first, and he called help. We're at the Kaiba's private clinic. You lost a lot of blood, they had to fill you back up."

The idea of having to deal with Kaiba became the last excuse Joey needed to push off the covers and pull out everything that was plugged to him. "How long was I out?"

"Almost a day, but..." started Tristan. "Dude! What are you doing? You can't leave, you almost bled to death!"

"Like hell I'm sittin' here doin' nothing!" he snapped back, getting up. "I gotta find Yugi."

"How are you going to do that? You can barely stand on your own two feet, and you don't have a clue of where they went! We have to call the police at this point."

"Right, cause they're definitely gonna believe all the magical item bullcrap we've seen. Are ya stupid or what? Besides I know how I can find her."

Tristan and Kisa looked at each other in disbelief. "How?!"

"Those two psychos, Marik and Bakura also took Yug's puzzle. I'm ready to bet my head that she's with them. And I only know one person who can track down any objects, no matter where they are."

* * *

 **Can you say...** **recurring characters?**

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	18. Hawk-eyes and Bloodhound

**Pheeewwww! Hey guys! I'm back, and as promised he is my fat fat chapter to make up for last time. I swear, I bled over this, I hope you'll appreciate the effort!**

 **Lowe, HAPPY (very, very, late) BIRTHDAY! I hope you'll appreciate the amount of Seto I poured into it!**

 **ENJOY!**

* * *

"Joey, be reasonable!" said Kisa, having caught him for the tenth time since they'd left his room. "You have to lie back down!"

"She's right," assured Tristan, holding him back. "Besides, you always say yourself that all the gypsy mystic stuff is nothing but crap..."

Despite the weakness of his body, preventing him from even standing right, the blond threw an angry glare at his friend. "Seriously? A guy with a shiny stick made all of ya take a nap at once, Tristan, what did ya think that was? If that abracadabra crap is real, then I don't see why gypsy magic ain't. Now let me go! The more we waste time, the less chance we got of findin' her!"

"None of you are going anywhere," said a familiar voice, making the three of them look up. Arms crossed, blocking their way in the middle of the hallway was Seto Kaiba. His eyes were filled with burning anger and something else. Something darker that made Tristan and Kisa's insides shake. But Joey didn't seem in the mood to be ordered around. Especially not by him.

"Out of the way, moneybags. I got things to do."

"Not until I get answers. Like what the hell were all of you doing at Pegasus's mansion with _my_ little brother? You better have a good reason if you don't all want to end up in court."

"Wait," said Tristan, confused. "Didn't Mokuba tell you anything?"

"If by anything you mean calling me in a panic telling me where you were and that one of you was bleeding to death before passing out of exhaustion, then yes. He told me something."

"Is he alright?" asked Kisa.

"Like I said, he passed out. He was delusional over the phone, saying something ridiculous about magical items, and two crazy nuts who attacked you. Now talk!"

"That bastard Pegasus kidnapped Yugi," spat out Joey. "Mokuba tried to contact you, but yar rich ass was too busy to bother. So we went to get her, then those freaks Bakura and Marik killed Pegasus."

Skepticism more visible than the nose on his face, the young CEO raised an eyebrow. "Marik and Bakura? The guys from school?"

"They're not who they say they are," continued Tristan. "You know that puzzle Yugi has? They both had items similar to it. Some sort of scepter and a ring. Pegasus had one too, a weird eyeball. They took it from him."

"And I suppose the rest of you just watched the show."

"No!" exclaimed Kisa. "Marik just... did something. And we all passed out at the same time. Next thing, we woke up here, and the doctors told us Joey'd been stabbed."

The frown of mistrust on Kaiba's face didn't relax one bit. "Interesting story, but there's a little plot hole. What about the four guys in catatonic state we found with you? They still haven't woken up and my doctors say they're unresponsive."

"You mean Pegasus's goons?"

The three companions looked at each other, uncertain if they should answer. But Kaiba wasn't going to give them a choice in the matter.

"Something happened when Yugi finished her puzzle," started Kisa, eyes down and shaking her head as if searching for the right words. "She... changed. It was like she was possessed or something. She spoke with a guy's voice. She said something and they just screamed and then... collapsed."

"You really think I'm going to swallow any of that crap? I thought you of all people knew better than to lie to me."

"What the hell, man?" said Tristan. "We know it's nuts but we all saw it! So if you have a better explanation for what happened to us, we'd be glad to hear it, trust me! But..."

"Bottomline is, it doesn't matter what happened," cut off Joey. "Yugi is still missing and we're pretty sure Marik and Bakura have her." Pushing the distracted Tristan and Kisa off him, he made his way to walk passed Kaiba. "Now if we're done with the interrogation, I got stuff to do."

However, the billionaire didn't seem too keen on letting him go that easily. The instant he walked passed him, Kaiba grabbed him by the collar and violently pushed him against the wall. A painful vibration shot through his body as the air was expelled from his lungs. His natural reflex would've been to push back immediately, but the weakness of his beat up body only allowed him to grab the brunet's wrist to try and make him let go.

"I knew you were nothing but trouble from the start, Wheeler," said Kaiba, with a low voice, words filled with deeper anger than ever. "I'm only going to ask this once; where. is. Yugi?"

"Are yar ears just here to decorate yar jerk ass face?" replied the blond, who's agitation was reflecting Kaiba's irritation. "I said Marik and Bakura got her!"

The hand on his collar tightened. "And I guess that is yet again something that happened under your watchful eyes, mutt?"

"Oh, apologies, yar royal pain in the ass! Next time someone gets kidnapped by two freaks with supernatural power, I'll do my research on how to kick the crap out of magicians!"

"Spewing bullshit again to justify yourself?" said Kaiba, his eyes narrowing some more. "If you're incapable of taking care of your things, you should've stayed the hell away and go back to that shit hole of a neighborhood you crawled out of!"

"SORRY FOR GETTING FUCKIN' STABBED, ASSHOLE! AT LEAST, I WAS THERE, UNLIKE YAR RICH ASS!"

"AND IF YOU'D DIED THERE, SHE MIGHT STILL BE HERE NOW, YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN BEING!"

Shock froze Joey to the core. He wasn't scared of Kaiba. Hell, it took a whole lot more than that to scare him. But he also never expected the stuck up control freak to shout. But more than that, the words hit him right where it hurt, and for a moment, it felt like something cracked in his chest. Blood boiled in his vein but the instant the adrenaline started rising, it immediately fell back down. Maybe it was because of the insufficient amount of blood in his body. Or maybe it was something else. That same sensation in his stomach when he realized that he'd been stabbed was back. Screaming at him that he'd failed. The guilt made him clench his teeth and though the boiling anger became quiet, it was still there, polluting his mind. But Kaiba wasn't pleased by his sudden silence.

"The least you could've done with your worthless ass was use it to protect someone who actually matters! But no, even that logic is too complicated for your pea-sized brain!"

"..."

More silence from Joey only served to poke at the CEO's already spiked anger. Raising his fist to strike, it was suddenly grabbed by two arms.

"Kaiba, enough!" shouted Kisa, throwing him pleading eyes. "He's injured!"

"Get off, Kisa!" he ordered, trying to shake his arm free, but she refused to let go.

"NO!" she replied stubbornly. "If you want to hit him, you'll have to hit me first! You want logic? This is not helping! We don't have time for your cock fight! Our priority is Yugi! Do you want to help her or bash Joey's face in? She needs us, Seto! Who knows what they're doing to her right now?"

"She's right!" added Tristan. "Get your head out of your ass! Both of you!"

Pure rage concentrated in the billionaire's eyes, almost turning his blue eyes, red. He clenched his teeth and fist, and shook as if he was trying to keep himself under control. He couldn't feel it, but she'd started to tremble as well. She'd never seen him loose his temper like that. For crying out loud, this was ice King control freak Seto Kaiba! But she held his eyes, forbidding herself to blink, even when her eyes stung. After what felt like an eternity of a staring contest, Kaiba relaxed and shoved Joey away, releasing him. Thankfully, Tristan caught him before he hit the floor.

"You're all a waste of my time," declared the tall brunet. "Forget it, I'll find her myself. All of you stay out of my way."

"Not happenin'," replied Joey, using Tristan's shoulder in support. "There's no way I'm sittin' all comfy while those bastards have her."

"As usual, you're all talk, mutt. I have access to this city's entire surveillance system, and I have my own security force. You've screwed up enough, and I don't need you in my hair. The second my doctors put you back of your feet, I want you out of here," he said, before his eyes shifted towards Kisa. "All of you."

The moment he whipped around and walked away, a wave of extreme dizziness and nausea assaulted Joey's head and his legs gave in. Thanks to Tristan he didn't fall completely, but he could barely hear him calling his name, or Kisa say that they had to bring him back to his room to finish his transfusion.

'Damn it... I'm too weak..." His thoughts presented him with an image of her. 'Give me more time... just a little bit more time... Yugi... I'll find ya, I promise...'

* * *

Empty. This darkness was empty. There was no one else. No voice to speak to her, or presence. Was it possible to feel so alone in your own head? That's what it felt like. This darkness was not natural. Something was slowing her down as she pushed through it. After what seemed like an eternity, she reached the surface, and pierced into consciousness. The light was low, but somehow still blinded her. Even when she completely opened her eyes, her vision was blurry. Her body was numb, but it did feel like she weighted a ton. Why was her mind so slow? The questions she asked herself found no answer, though she knew they were in her memories somewhere.

'Where am I? What happened? Why is everything so slow?'

Just moving her head was a pain. She was on a soft surface. A bed. The room around her was strange. Small. The ceiling had a strange rounded shape. There were three small oval windows on each wall next to her, all were shut. And there was that weird sensation. Her ears hurt, like when you dive too deep in water, and there's too much pressure. A constant woosh sound was present as well, coming from beyond the walls. As she processed everything around, her memory suddenly caught up.

"Pegasus..." she muttered, remembering a golden eye and blood. "Marik..." She saw the young Egyptian, his Millennium Item in his hand. "Bakura..." She saw a knife. "Joey..." She remembered more blood. "Joey!"

Her shout was meant to be accompanied by her suddenly springing up. But she was unable to perform that move. Her head, her body... everything was pushing to keep her down, wanting her to go back to sleep. What had they done to her? She couldn't sleep. She had to move. Summoning all of her strength and will, she rolled to push herself off the bed. Of course when she tried to stand, her numb legs immediately gave in, forcing her to the ground. Her crash told her that she was also impervious to pain. Was it an after effect of Marik's Rod?

"Come on..." she muttered, hoping to encourage herself.

It was clear that she wasn't going to get back up. So, on the floor, she crawled to the wall, every step making her shake like a leaf in the wind, and her head spin like a top. But she kept crawling until she reached the wall. Once there, pushing herself back on two extremely wobbly legs took a couple of tries. After managing to find an extremely unstable stance, Yugi grabbed and pushed up the blind of one of the little windows. Outside, there was blue. A lot of blue and a land seemingly made of thick cotton. Clouds. Her heart skipped a beat.

'A plane?!'

Looking down, despite her blurry vision, she recognized the sea. Water everywhere, and not a bit of land in sight. A realization hit her. They'd left the country. The shock was enough to make her fall right back down on the ground, leaning on the wall to support her. The fear and anxiety from before shot through her, her heartbeat resonating in her skull. She tried thinking, but her mind was slow and unable to process anything, numbed by her fear.

'Dreaming... I must be dreaming,' she thought.

The sound of the door creaking open made her look up. The British boy in a striped shirt, and black jacket, with the Millennium Ring handing from his neck, crossed his arms on his chest.

"Well how about that? I never expected you to wake up so soon. You're more resourceful than you look, half-pint. I'm impressed."

This time, she was pretty sure her shaking was due to something else. His blurry figure made its way towards her and her body didn't even allow her a backing off reflex. Her schoolmate, or whoever he really was crouched down and picked her up from the floor, bridal style. Those hands... those hands that had so much blood on them were touching her. It was wrong. It terrified and disgusted her. Futilely, she tried to push him away. But he only laughed at her attempt.

"Don't waste your time, shorty. You have enough drugs in your system to knock out a horse. It'll take a while to clear out."

Laying her back down on the bed, he went to open the drawer of the small nightstand and grabbed out a metallic box out of which he pulled out what looked an awful lot like a syringe to her blurry eyes. Bakura sat on the edge next to her, and snatched her wrist as she was trying to move away.

"Relax. This will just send back to Morpheus a little longer," he said, pulling up her sleeve.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice broken by her helplessness. "What do you want?"

"Don't worry," he said, and she felt the sting of the needle in her arm. "Everything will began soon enough. Night night, little sacrifice."

Just as he said that, her eyes closed and darkness took her again.

* * *

Seto stood there, looking at the hundreds of screens in front of him from behind his security experts. He wasn't stupid, he knew what he'd ordered them to do was highly illegal, especially given the circumstances, but he didn't give a damn. In the past, he had to use all matters of trickery to get the better of his step-father and reach his current level. But recently, he seemed to have a knack for the illegal department. Stalking Yugi on her phone had been the first step, now this. He regretted it. He shouldn't have left her out of his sight. He knew she couldn't take care of herself, and then Wheeler had entered the equation and screwed up everything. He should've gotten him kicked out of school for good, and then make sure that he ended up in the streets! Once he found Yugi, he was going to have to remedy to that problem permanently. He was pulled out of his thoughts when one of the workers hacking into the Pegasus mansion's security system called out to him.

"There Mr Kaiba," said the man, keeping his eyes on the screen. "I found them. This is the footage from yesterday."

On one of the screens appeared the footage from outside the mansion. He recognized the British and Egyptian boys walking out of the gigantic house. So the geek squad hadn't lied. It really was those two, and Bakura was carrying Yugi like a bag over his shoulders. And his hands were covered in red. The picture was repulsive and made the billionaire clench his fist. When he found them, he was going to make them pay dearly for what they'd done. They talked as they walked.

"Any audio?"

"No Sir, I'm sorry. Even if there was, they're too far."

"Follow their trail. I want to know where they are."

"On it, Sir. They leave the property and get into this black car on the street," explained the employee. "There's a third person driving, but his face is covered. We can't identify him. They're headed north. That's all we got from the mansion cameras, Sir."

"Then get into the city's surveillance system."

90% of the tech used by Domino's system was made by Kaiba Corps, so getting access to it was a piece of cake as long as it was to check that the system was working properly. What better way to find out than this? This technology was the fastest in the world, entirely designed by himself. But it was still too slow. Way too slow for the situation. He made note to double the search speed of the system once this was all over. Another worker called out.

"Found them Sir! They were headed north towards Domino, but they went around and took a detour on..."

"Spare me the useless details," snapped Seto, the irritation gaining on him more and more. "I want to know where they are, not if they stopped for coffee on the way."

"Y-Yes, Sir. My apologies," replied the man before typing at the speed of light on his keyboard. The images on the screens sped up, showing the black car crossing Domino. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was still too, damn, slow.

"They went on the road to the airport, Sir!" finally said the man.

The airport? No way. That meant they could be out of the country already. Damn it! He clenched his teeth together so hard he could've shattered them. "Get into airport security," he ordered, with false calmness. "I want to know which plane they boarded and where they were headed."

"But, Sir, it's impossible without the proper clearance. Doing this could get you in serious trouble..."

"I don't care!" Cut off his boss, throwing him a death glare. "I made their entire system. That the only clearance I need. Do it."

His employee hesitated, but Seto stared at him without blinking, reminding him of everything he'd done for him. The man had been a hacker wanted by the government. He'd have spent the rest of his life in prison if it hadn't been for him. So, soon enough he made up his mind and turn to his screen and executed his boss's order. However, the search program failed. The black car had stopped in the airport's parking, but even after checking a dozen time, it seemed that they were no where to be found inside the airport.

"I'm sorry, Mister Kaiba. I really can't find them."

"Shit," cursed the billionaire, slamming his fist on a nearby desk.

Closing his eyes he took a breath. He needed to think. Three men and a passed out girl don't just disappear like that without anyone seeing them. It was too suspicious. It made sense that they wouldn't just walk into the airport, unless they'd stuffed Yugi inside a bag. Which, granted was not impossible, but unlikely. And they would've been seen on the inside. There was nothing other than the airport in this area, and they'd stopped in the parking lot. There was literally nothing else to do aside from taking a plane.

"People go inside to get their tickets, passport checked and give their luggage," he muttered to himself.

'If I were a criminal and wanted to take a plane, I'd skip all of that,' he then thought. 'And someone would need to give me direct access to a plane. Most likely a private one.'

"Get the footage from the surveillance of the private aircrafts field, around the time they arrived."

"Yes, Sir."

Bingo! The images that pulled up showed an entrance gate to the private fields, but that was only meant to be used by a few select managers and workers. Of course, Marik, Bakura and the third man, showed up. All were hiding under hoodies and jackets, but it could only be them. The unknown man was carrying the still immobile Yugi in his arms. After a few minutes of sped up footage, a man wearing the field workers uniform showed up and opened the gate for them. But something was off. They didn't even talk to the man, and he just closed the gate behind them before walking away.

"Enhance that image, then search his face through the airport's employee database."

"Got it. His name is Steve Handers."

Without wasting a second, the young CEO pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Roland, it's Kaiba. I want you to find someone. His name is Steve Handers, Domino airport private fields employee. Find him and bring him here when you do, asap."

" _Wait boss. You mean the Steve Handers from the media?"_

"What are you talking about?"

" _It was on the news this morning,"_ explained the head of security. _"An airport employee was found killed on the private fields. His name was Steve Handers. Was it your guy?"_

As if on cue, at that moment, someone pulled up the morning news on another screen. A reporter was presenting the story from outside the airport.

 _"Mr Handers was on his usual night shift, the same one he's had for the past twelve years, here, at Domino Airport, when he was killed. It has been confirmed that he was stabbed to death at around one o'clock. However the perpetrators have yet to be identified. And to add to this bizarre event, the head manager of the private fields reported that one of the aircrafts has gone missing and they have no way to know where it currently is. The signal of the plane was cut off shortly after Mr Handers's death. We have yet to receive confirmation..."_

Seto's eyes widened in shock, and without realizing, he squeezed his phone so hard that a line cracked through the screen. Crap, crap, crap! His only lead was slipping.

"Mr Kaiba?" asked his hacker. "Are you alright, Sir?"

Instead of replying, he brought his phone back to his ear. "Dig up whatever you can on Handers. I want to know if he stole candy in kindergarten if that's relevant, do you understand? I want you to do the same for Ryo Bakura and Marik Ishtar."

" _Yes, Sir,"_ replied Roland.

"If there's a missing plane, then there's a missing pilot. Find out who it is, and repeat."

" _Will do."_

He hung up and turned to the hacker. "Figure out what plane was stolen and find it. I don't care how, just do it."

"I-I'll try, Sir."

With that, the president of Kaiba Corps stepped out of the room and took the elevator to the last floor to go to his office. Once in, he slammed the door behind him, and punched it as hard as he could, sending a wave of pain through his arm. But it was meaningless next to the absolute fury inside. There was less than a 1% chance of finding the airplane, and even if they managed to find a connection between Handers and Marik, it wouldn't help locating them. For the first time in a long time, he was in check. That thought made him look at the chess board on his low table. The one where that game had taken place. That inexcusably unfinished game.

'Damn it Yugi! This is why you should've listened to me, you idiot. I'll find you. Just you wait and see. No one screws with Seto Kaiba like this!'

Knock, knock. Seto took a few steps back from the door. "Come in."

To his surprise, it was his little brother who stepped in. "Mokuba?"

"Seto!" he exclaimed the instant he saw his big brother, and threw his arms around his waist.

"What are you doing here? You should be at the clinic."

"Dr Connors said I was fine," replied Mokuba, only hugging his brother tighter and shaking like he was on the verge of tears. "It's all my fault Seto! It's all my fault Yugi's gone, and that Joey got hurt. I'm the one who took her to the park and made it easy for Pegasus to get her. And I took them to the mansion..."

"Stop that," said Seto, kneeling down, and grabbing him by the shoulders. "You didn't do anything wrong. And trust me, Wheeler doesn't need help to get stabbed."

Mokuba released him and wiped his eyes with his arm. "Seto, we have to find her."

"We will, little brother. That's a promise," he assured. "I have Roland and everyone working on it. Don't worry. We'll find her and we'll make sure those guys pay dearly."

"Joey says he knows how to find her."

Seto rolled his eyes. "Right, like a mutt like him has a better way to find her than me. He's all talk. Besides, the moment he's treated, I'm kicking him out with the rest."

"I know you don't like him, but his idea might work. You wouldn't be up here, if we had a clear lead."

Seto pinched his nose and took a breath. Leave it to his little brother to be able to read him like a book. He swore to himself that if it was Kisa's idea of sending him to convince him, he was going to have a word with her. "And what is this brilliant idea, pray tell?"

"He has a friend that can find lost objects. And he says if he can find Yugi's puzzle, we'll know where she is!"

"A psychic? Are you serious?" Leave it to Wheeler to find the dumbest and most useless idea possible. Was he trying to make him waste time? "That's nonsense, Mokuba. Magic isn't real, and there's no such things as psychics."

"But what Marik did to us was real, Seto! And what Pegasus did to Joey and what happened to Yugi! I know it sounds crazy but I saw it, too!"

"You were confused and scared, Moki. Your mind just played tricks on you. Indulging in those illusions won't help getting Yugi back."

The door suddenly shut, making the young billionaire realize that they weren't alone. Tea Gardner was there, fists clenched and throwing him an angry glare. "Then I suppose all of us were delusional at the same time and happened to have the exact same visions. Does that sound logical to you, Mr overly skeptic? Or are you just going to say dumb coincidence? Or are you calling Mokuba a liar?"

Could this day get any worse? "What are you doing here, Gardner? How did you get in?"

"I came with Mokuba."

Getting back up, he put on his usual serious face and glared at her. "I don't have time to waste on you. In case you haven't figured it out, I'm already searching for Yugi. I'll find her, and you all being as far away from me as possible will make it that much easier."

"You know that's not how it works. She's out friend, we're finding her too. And trying to kick us away won't work."

"Ever heard of a restraining order?"

"You're not going to keep us away! You're right, it's our fault Pegasus got to her. We shouldn't have left her alone. It's our screw up. So it's our business all the way! We're not gonna have you fix it for us."

Tears of rage wet her eyes, but she never looked away, her fury openly reflecting his own frustration. He did admire determination and stubbornness, but the thing was, the dweebs couldn't help him. Unlike him, they had access to no useful resource. They were just high schoolers. In the long run, they'd just be a nuisance to his investigation. He crossed his arms on his chest.

"You think wanting to find her is enough for you guys to butt in? I have my entire security force looking for her, while all you can do is spit out useless speeches. It serves no purpose and it's a waste of my time. I don't have room for you to tag along."

"We _do_ have an idea!" she shouted. "You just won't acknowledge it as one."

"Again with the psychic?"

"None of us believed in all that magic stuff before! But we all saw it Kaiba! And if there's one chance in a million that the psychic is real too, then we're willing to take that chance."

He frowned some more, when he realized something. "You wouldn't be telling me any of this if you didn't need me somehow. What do you want?"

She sighed and gave in. "The psychic is a gypsy. But they've left the city already, and we'd waste too much time driving there. We need to borrow a chopper. What do you have to loose, Kaiba?"

"My dignity for a start."

"So you want to save Yugi, but only as long as it's by your means and your way? You want to tell her that when you find her? _If_ you find her?"

That seemed to piss her off even more and in a couple of quick steps, she was in front of him and grabbed him by the collar. "I WILL NOT HAVE YOU SACRIFICE MY FRIEND FOR YOUR DAMN PRIDE, SETO KAIBA! I don't care how idiotic it sounds, unless you have a better ideas, we're going!"

"Please Seto," added Mokuba, his eyes pleading.

He stayed silent a long moment, his icy glare clashing with her fury burning irises. He would do everything in his power to find Yugi. But what good would feeding false hopes and believing in fairy tails do? He opened his mouth to speak, when his desk phone rang.

"You mind?" he said.

She let go of him and he picked up. "Kaiba speaking."

" _It's Roland, Sir. About Handers, there's nothing on him, his record is clean as a whistle. Same for the pilot that went missing, Eric Goal. Simple lives, loving families, there's nothing on them. As for Bakura and Ishtar, there isn't even a record on them entering the country. They weren't here legally."_

Something shifted in his chest and an uncomfortable vibration travelled throughout his body. "What about the plane?"

" _Untraceable, Sir. The black box was disconnected. But we know it was a Black Jet 9077. I've texted you the license number, but I doubt it'll be helpful. I'm sorry Sir."_

"Look again! There has to be something you missed! No one is going home until we find something. Is that clear?"

Without waiting for an answer, he violently put the phone down.

"Nothing?" asked Mokuba.

Again, he didn't answer and and rubbed his hand on his face. Check mate. Damn it all! They just had to have missed something! There was no other explanation. He looked up at Tea. She still hadn't moved and was waiting for an answer. One chance in a million? That reminded him of something. The one chance in a million he took to take down his step father and free himself and Mokuba of their miserable lives. The one in a million he took by completely changing the company's business. The one and a million chance he took going to speak with the shy girl with the puzzles and crazy hair at school. It'd payed. All of those crazy gambles. So what held him back?

* * *

I took about an hour for the chopper to arrive at the clinic where Joey, Kisa and Tristan were waiting on the roof. It didn't even land, just lowered itself close enough for them to jump in. They'd decided that only Joey and Tristan would go. One because he knew the gypsies, and the other to keep an eye on him. Also, Kaiba wanted Mokuba to rest some more. Once inside, everyone was silent. Joey had barely finished his transfusion and was still waiting for his head to stop spinning. He looked at his companions. Tristan was busy processing the fact that he was in a Kaiba Copter. Meanwhile, Kaiba was staring at his cracked phone screen, waiting for updates.

"Hey Kaiba," called out the recovering boy. "Listen, I..."

"Save it Wheeler, I'm doing this for her," immediately shot down the billionaire. "Besides, getting thanks from you makes me want to shower."

"Ya really are a stuck up son of a bitch..." muttered Joey in response.

"For the record, I warned you that this was a waste of time."

"After the shit we've seen, I got no reason to believe psychics aren't real," replied the blond. "Besides, Duke's really good at finding' stuff. I've seen it."

"Lets hope your human radar doesn't have a limit in space," mocked Kaiba. "I don't trust gypsies, it's a scam for sure."

Having regained most of his strength, Joey had to keep himself from hitting him. "Look moneybags, the only reason ya're goin' along with this is that ya ain't got any bright ideas of yar own. So why don't ya shut up and mind yar Kaiba Corps business?"

"Both of you shut up!" shouted Tristan, who had just about had it to only have five minutes of peace with these two around. "Your getting on my nerves, and it won't make this any easier. So find a quiet way to vent, and focus on why we came here for. We're here by the way."

Joey sprang up, but Kaiba was faster to get to the cockpit. Down there, a couple of kilometers off the closest city east of Domino, near a large lake, were a few dozens caravans and mobile homes.

"Lower the chopper in the field, not too close," ordered the CEO.

As commanded, the pilot lowered the aircraft and landed in the fields. Before the propellers even slowed down, Joey jumped out of the chopper followed by Tristan and Kaiba.

"Stay back, moneybags!" He shouted over the noise. "We'll handle this!"

"Like hell I'm letting you screw this up, Wheeler! You had your chance!"

"It's not that!" explained Tristan, covering his ears. "Gypsies don't like outsiders, they probably aren't reassured by the chopper! It's better if we don't bring them anymore reason to shut us off!"

"Well, they'll like it even less if they don't give us the answers we need!" he shouted back before walking towards the camp.

Tristan shrugged and Joey just rolled his eyes, before following him. As they approached the camp, the chopper's noise became distant and they started feeling the heavy silence of the place. Indeed, no one was in sight and all curtains of the vehicles were closed. Joey had expected that much. The aircraft had scared them.

"Looks like a ghost town," said Tristan. "Hey! Anyone here?"

"Guys! It's me, Joey! Old man Joffo? Maryam? Anyone!"

"Tch. We're wasting time, let me handle this..."

"You stay right where you are," said Tristan blocking his way. "All you'll do is scare them. Let Joey handle this."

"Duke! Come on out! I need ya, man! Please! This is important!"

After a few more long seconds of silence, a door creaked open and Duke appeared in their line of sight. But unlike usual, he didn't have that smug smile. On the contrary, his eyes threw lightening at Joey, who could feel the tension in the air. The blond boy took a step closer, but...

"Stay back, Joey!" ordered Duke.

"It's not what it looks like, Duke."

"Then who are they?" said the gypsy, pointing at the chopper. "And who's he?"

"That's my ride and this guy is... an acquaintance. He's not government or anythin' like that. He's just a rich bastard. I needed to find ya, quick."

Seeing the look of mistrust the young gypsy threw Kaiba, Tristan added. "He's telling the truth, dude. The family isn't in trouble, we just need your help."

Green eyes clashed with steel blue ones. "Do you have a tongue, rich boy? Or do you need someone to do all the talking for you?"

"The name is Seto Kaiba," spat out Kaiba, voice dripping with contempt. "And I can do my own talking."

"Yeah, I know you," replied Duke, the scorn in his voice clear. "Your the guy who practically owns Domino. Why would you bring this guy here Joey?"

Ouch. This was not starting well. Gypsy didn't do good with outsiders in general, but rich and powerful people were at the top of their hate list. They usually got kicked out of places because of people like Kaiba. He needed to reassure his friend and fast.

"Like I said, he just gave me a ride," he explained. "But that's not the point. I need your help, Duke."

"Then tell him and his chopper to leave. Now."

"I can't do that, man."

"Then, sorry. I can't help you, Joey. Get out of here. You won't get anything from us. I thought you knew better than to bring his type to us."

With that he whipped around and started walking back towards the center of the camp. Kaiba's face twisted with irritation and anger. In a couple of quick strides, he caught up with Duke and grabbed him by the collar.

"Listen here punk, you don't like me and I hate wasting time. So the faster I get what I want, the faster I'll be gone, and you can go back to your circus life. Make me waste more time, and I promise, I'll make sure none of you so called family will ever get to approach any city of this country ever again. Did I make myself clear?"

"Hey, hands off moneybags!" shouted Joey, pulling him off the gypsy. "What d'we tell ya about keepin' back?"

"Yeah, cause that worked so well."

Alright that was it. Joey threw him the darkest look he had in store and placed himself in between him and his friend. "I'm warnin' ya Kaiba. Touch my buddy again, and I'll redecorate yar face."

"So I can kick your ass like last time, Wheeler?"

"Uh, guys?" called out Tristan. "You might want to postpone that..."

Indeed, a dozen gypsy men had stepped out of hiding and gathered. Some of them were armed with metal pipes and knives. Crap, this was getting out of hands. How was he going to solve this? Thankfully, Duke raised a hand and they stopped in their tracks.

"You have to leave now, Joey. All of you."

Before Kaiba could add anything to make the situation worse, Joey shouted. "It's about Yugi!"

For the first time since they got here surprise struck the kleptomaniac's face. "What about her?"

"She was kidnapped. I need ya to help me find her." As he spoke, pain tore through his chest and he felt his own shame invade his mind yet again. "Please man, I'm beggin' ya. Ya're the only one who can help us."

"..."

Confusion was clear on Duke's face. But he was hesitating. But another familiar figure wearing a fedora pushed him forward.

"Gramps?!"

"A man who'd leave his friend so distressed is no grandson of mine," scolded Joffo. "Joey is part of our family as well, Duke."

A smile of hope stretched out on Joey's face. "Old man Joffo!"

"But... the outsider..." said Duke, looking at Kaiba.

"He is quite different. But he is motivated by the same reason as Joey. Their goals are one and the same. Would you rather leave your friend in pain to make an enemy suffer, or would you help a friend, despite helping an enemy as well?"

Duke looked down for a moment, reflecting on the words of his grandfather. Joey held his breath, that he only released when the gypsy approached them. But he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Joey, I can't find people..."

"I know," he interrupted. "But can ya look for a puzzle?"

A proud smirk finally appeared on his face. "That, I can. I need a description of the object."

"It's about this big, golden and made of a hundred pieces. It's shaped like an upside down pyramid, and it has some sort of eye thing on it."

"An eye of Horus?"

"Yeah, that."

"Have you ever touched it?"

"Yeah."

"When did you see it last?"

"A mansion in Domino, just before it was taken." he lowered his eyes. "Along with Yugi."

"What range do you give me? All of Domino?"

"Try the whole world," said Kaiba, interrupting. "We know for sure the guys who took Yugi took a plane. They could be anywhere. What's the matter? Too much for your psychic powers?"

"Lay off, Kaiba," growled Joey. "Ya ain't helpin'! But he's right. We got no idea where she is. Just that they probably left the country."

Instead of replying, Duke took a piece of paper out of his red vest, and unfolded it, revealing a world map. He sat down on the ground and laid the map in front of him. Joey imitated him, sitting down, cross-legged. He'd seen Duke psychic search things before, but never on a scale as large as this.

"Hold our hands up, palms facing me," instructed the gypsy. "Now close your eyes. Obstruct everything else. I just want you to picture the puzzle. As clearly as you can. Try not to let anything distract you."

Joey did as he was told. The hardest part was picturing the puzzle without Yugi. At the first attempts, he couldn't help but picture her small hands handling the object. She seemed so happy whenever she did. And then she'd told him it was cursed. What exactly was this thing? What had it done to her? Because of it, she'd been taken. Twice. A new resentment filled up his anxious mind.

"Focus Joey," said Duke.

Mentally slapping himself, he pictured the golden pyramid in his head, as clearly as he remembered it. Every detail, every glitter of gold...The Eye of Horus that he'd stolen from her. The piece that had started it all. He then heard the sound of a dice falling on paper.

"There!" exclaimed Duke, looking at where the cube had landed on the map.

* * *

 **Hmmm... I wonder. Where could our bad guys and Yugi be headed?**

 **PLEASE REVIEW!**


	19. Preparations

**I'm so sorry for the tardiness guys! I had myself a bit of a computer problem. Anyways, apologies. I hope you'll enjoy!**

 **Have fun!**

* * *

When, for the second time she managed to push through the darkness and open her eyes, Yugi's vision was still blurry as hell. It was a lot bumpier, and this time, she was laying on something hard. Except for her head, that was pressed against something softer and warm. Slowly, her senses awakened, and she caught words.

"How much longer do we have to wait?" growled a familiar gruff voice. "We've been cramped in here for hours."

"It's unusual to see you so jumpy, Bakura."

"We're in the middle of the bloody desert, can't you go any faster, Odion?"

"I'm going as fast as I can," said a voice she'd never heard. "We should be there very soon. We can already see the ruins from here."

"About damn time."

Marik chuckled. "Did you loose the habit of the heat already?"

"This isn't my real body, you moron," snapped back the edgy teen. "He's British. You don't get any whiter than this."

What were they talking about? A wave of dizziness assaulted her head and she closed her eyes again, wincing in discomfort. Pulling herself up with her elbows, she remembered. The plane. Bakura. And the needle in her arm. How long had she slept this time?

"Well, would you look who's awake?" said Bakura, grinning. She opened her eyes again, and he was kneeling down right in front of her, making her jump. Before she could move away, he grabbed her face in his hands. Forcibly keeping one of her eyes open with his thumb, he asked.

"Is your vision clear or blurry?"

She didn't know how, but she summoned enough strength to push him away. Her throat was dry and so she didn't attempt shouting, but the meaning was clear. Don't touch me. He looked at her surprised before bursting out in laughter.

"You don't look much but you really are a piece of work, shorty," he said, getting back up and sitting back down. "I guess you're fine if you can move like that."

She looked around quickly. They were in some sort of desert pick up. The only real seats were for the driver and the passenger. She was on the floor in the back, Marik and Bakura were sitting on the benches under the not-even-existent windows, since there wasn't any glass. And the roof was just thick tentage over their heads, military style. But she was a bit too preoccupied by the people around her to focus on the vehicle. Carefully, she sat up.

"W-Where are ..."

She didn't get to finish her sentence when she started coughing loudly. He throat burned horribly. Now that she thought about it, even her skin felt dry as hell. It hurt so bad, that tears wet her eyes. Another wave of dizziness shot through her head, and she fell back down. Was it the drugs again? As she kept coughing, thinking she was about to vomit her own lungs, two hands grabbed her upper arms and pulled her up, before making her sit on one of the benches. There was a pop sound and a gourd was presented to her.

"Drink," said Marik. "It's only water, you don't have anything to worry about."

Even if she had suspected that there had been something in there, she would've taken it anyways. Bringing it up to her mouth, she drank, the cold liquid soothing her irritated throat and clearing her foggy mind. Before she knew it, she emptied the gourd, and was panting to catch her breath. For a moment, she'd forgotten that oxygen was as vital as water to live. But the dizziness wasn't completely gone.

"W-What have you done to me?" she asked, bringing her hand to her face.

"Nothing more than put you to sleep," said Marik, putting away the gourd in a bag and searching through it. "The source of your dizziness is hunger. You haven't eaten in over twenty-four hours."

While he searched, she looked out the window. There wasn't a cloud to be seen in the sky, and around them...sand. Miles and miles of sand. A desert. She was afraid to ask.

"Where are we?"

"Egypt," replied Marik, finally pulling out a paper-bag out of his bag. "Home of the Pharaohs and birthplace of the Millennium Items. Here, eat this. You'll feel better."

He handed it to her, but she hesitated to take it. She was starving for sure and her stomach was roaring like a lion. But this whole thing felt wrong. These guys had lied to her, kidnapped her, attacked her friends...

"My friends... What did you do to my friends?!" she exclaimed.

The Egyptian boy replied calmly. "Do not worry. I told you the items have no lethal effects. I simply put them to sleep. There will be no lasting consequences."

"What about Joey?" she asked, biting the inside of her cheek.

Bakura was the one to reply. "He probably bled to death."

Those words made her heart freeze in her chest, and she forgot about the dizziness. It wasn't real... this couldn't be real! He couldn't be... Not Joey. Not like this.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "No, you're lying..."

"If no one got him to a hospital in time, then he's dead. I'm the one who stabbed him I should know," casually explained the white-haired boy, as if he were talking about class. He smirked at her. "I meant to kill, after all."

Suddenly, it became hard to breath. Even though air was getting in, her lungs were on fire, like her own ribcage was trying to crush them. Violent tremors shook her all over. Involuntarily, she scratched at her shirt and skin of her neck to try to create a new air way, numb to the pain. She must've beeb dreaming. This wasn't real, this was a nightmare. Wake up... She had to wake up.

"That's the one."

Before she could even look up, a hand roughly gripped her jaw, sending pain shooting through her chin, and forced her to look up. Bakura's face was inches from her, eyes glowing with sick excitement and a smirk stretched out across his face. That made her stop breathing all together, and her blood froze in her veins.

"Yes, that's the face I want to see on him," he said, tightening his grip almost hard enough to make the bone crack. "Now I'm getting real impatient. Thanks for the preview half-pint... Arg!"

A foot colliding with his stomach pushed him off of her, and the next thing he knew, the hidden blade of the Millennium Rod was at his throat. The glare the Tomb Keeper was throwing him, made him stare in confusion. Like he'd never seen him like this.

"That's quite enough, Thief King," said the Egyptian boy, calmly yet firmly. "You've been out of control lately. We have an agreement, but if I find you to be a menace, I will not hesitate to put an end to it. Permanently."

After a few more second of silence, the grin returned to Bakura's face. "Who knew you could be so scary? Relax, Marik. I told you. There is no way I'd do anything to interrupt the awakening. So you don't have to worry about the shrimp, she's safe." He sat back down and crossed his arms. "Also, it's a bit ironic, don't you think? Protecting her with a knife when you're about to cut her."

Marik frowned, put the knife back into it's golden sheath before turning to Yugi, who was still trying to make sense of what was happening and what she'd been told. "The knock out effect of the Rod isn't very long. There's a chance one of them woke up in time to call for help and save your friend."

His words were reassuring, but his eyes said 'don't hope too much'. Still, it made her breathing slightly easier, and the tremors softened a bit. There was so much confusion. Just how much more messed up could this situation get? Why was all of this happening? Suddenly, the jeep stopped, and the driver, who Yugi had never seen before, turned to them to tell them they'd arrived.

"Home sweet home, huh Marik?" mocked Bakura.

"You take care of the items. Take them to the ceremonial platform," ordered the Tomb Keeper, ignoring his comment.

Bakura grabbed a bag at his feet, probably containing the items, and jumped out of the car. Yugi followed Marik out of the car. It was hot beyond anything she'd ever imagined. She was like a piece of meat on a grill. Her skin was so dry, it had practically turned to sand paper. They were in the middle of ancient ruins. There was barely anything left aside from a couple of pile of stones that used to be part of a wall. And there was nothing other than sand to be seen in the distance around them. A loud rumbling noise, made her jump and turn around. Part of the ground at Bakura's feet moved, revealing a staircase going so deep into the ground that they couldn't see the end of it. The white-haired boy went down. Odion approached the younger Egyptian.

"Are you certain it was a good idea to have him involved?"

"I'm starting to regret it," admitted Marik. "But he did help us find the items and the Pure One. And I don't think it's a coincidence that his spirit appeared like this at this time. I'll keep an eye on him and find Ishizu. You take care of her."

"As you wish, master."

She wasn't listening to them. Yugi looked around, hopelessly searching for a road, for something to run towards. But there was nothing. This was a prison with no walls. There was no escape. How far could she get if she tried running?

"I suggest you don't try," said Odion, as if he read her mind. "The desert is cruel, you wouldn't survive."

She was surprised at how gentle and almost comforting his voice was. His face was expressionless and despite his imposing size and posture, he seemed all but a came closer and extended a huge hand towards her.

"I don't want to be forceful with you if it can be avoided," he said.

So he was going to drag her in that cave by force if she refused to cooperate. What would Joey have done? Probably kick and scream until he couldn't fight anymore. But she wasn't like him. She was weak. Not just for her, she was starving and was practically dehydrated. The dizziness was still there, and she had trouble even standing up. Not to mention the fact that she had nowhere to run. There was nothing to do. But she brought her hands to her chest.

"I...I'll just follow you."

"It's very dark down there, even with torches," explained Odion, keeping his hand out. "There's a lot of uneven ground. And for untrained eyes, it's very easy to trip."

He didn't seem like a liar. But then again, Kaiba had reminded her countless time of how naive and overly trusting she was. She simply shook her head and the tall man didn't insist any further. He grabbed the last bag from the jeep and showed her the way down the stairs. Taking a breath, she started walking down, getting further and further into darkness. Odion followed and then, the entrance started shutting. Something inside her, told her to run for it. But she didn't move and just hopelessly stared at the last bit of daylight there was until the trap door closed completely in a loud noise. For a moment, they were in complete darkness, and all she heard was the sound of her own shaky breath. But after a couple of seconds, Odion lit up a torch and told her to follow him. The staircase was so long that it felt like they were descending to hell. And once they did reach the end, Yugi understood what Odion had meant. Even with torches lighting the path all along the wall, it was still so unclear, and she ended up tripping more than once. The fourth time, when she literally fell flat on her face, and scratched up her elbows pretty badly, the tall man offered her a hand again that she took reluctantly. Having a bit more stability, she looked at the walls around. They were covered in hieroglyphs, some completely faded, others that had survived the passage of time. There were so many hallways, that it was real labyrinth.

"What is this place?" she asked to herself.

"The underground temples, home of the Tomb Keepers ," replied Odion, without turning around. "The guardians of the tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh have lived here for thousand of years, watching over this place."

The Nameless Pharaoh? Her grandfather having spent years in this country, digging up it's history and treasures, her knowledge of it was actually pretty good. But in all of the stories she'd heard, she couldn't remember Solomon mentioning a Nameless Pharaoh. She was about to ask more, when the Tomb Keeper suddenly stopped in front of a door that he pushed open. It was a small square room, lit by a couple of torches on the wall. There was a wooden bed in a corner and a small table in another with a clay water pitcher. There was a very, maybe not primitive but definitely ancient air to this place. There was also another door.

"I'll leave this here," said Odion, letting go off her and putting the paper bag marik had offered her on the table. "You can wash up and do your business in the room next door. Someone will come by soon to see if you need anything."

He started making his way to the door.

"Wait!" she called out, and he stopped without turning around. "Marik said... he said I was a sacrifice for the Pharaoh. What does that mean? What are you going to do to me?"

He stayed silent for a moment. This only added to the pressure of the atmosphere, and the anxiety eating at her. "You should try resting. You're going to need it."

With that, he walked out and locked the door behind him. That was the moment her legs chose to give in, and she let herself fall on her knees. Her thoughts were all over the place. She was in Egypt, in the middle of nowhere, miles away from anything resembling a communication device, and she was a sacrifice. Whatever that meant, it couldn't be good. It was sounding more and more like she'd jumped back in time and was about to be burned alive for a dead pharaoh. What was the meaning of this? What exactly were the items? It was too much. And there was nothing she could do.

" _There's always somethin' to be done! Freezin' up and feelin' sorry for yarself won't change squat."_

Joey's voice suddenly pushed through her mind, scattering all the oppressive thoughts. But what could she do? She couldn't think of anything. And Joey might be... gone. The thought almost made her barf. Once more, the blond boy of her memory spoke.

" _Ya know, when ya grow up surrounded by liars, ya tend to want to trust yar eyes more than anythin'."_

He'd told her that during one of their training sessions, after they talked about her naïveté. And Marik had told her there was a chance. However small, there was one. Her stomach growled again, and the dizziness intensified. Right, she was hungry. Getting up, she walked over to the table and grabbed the paper bag. Inside was a large, round piece of bread and judging by the smell, it was stuffed with meat and cooked veggies. She took a bite. It was pretty good, but she didn't care. She didn't take the time to savor it. She ate quickly, not waiting for one bite to be finished to take another. There was a chance Joey was alive, however slim. There was a chance her friends would find her, however improbable. So she ate, as tears the size of light bulbs escaped her eyes and crashed on the floor at her feet. She paused from time to time briefly, to force the food down her throat and wipe her eyes, but every time she took a new bite, new tears appeared. And there she thought she was dehydrated. But she ate to stay alive. For that one chance. That chance she was going to be found. That chance she would see her grandfather again. And that chance that Joey lived.

* * *

The priestess contemplated the sarcophagus in front of her. For thousands of years, it had remained here, carrying the remains of the Pharaoh that had sacrificed his life to save the world from utter darkness. It had been her family's duty for generations to watch over it. But now, the darkness was growing again. She hadn't been able to sleep in months. Every night, the Millennium Necklace showed her the catastrophe that would occur if the darkness succeeded. He was the only one that could save them from it. But it was all a blur. She hadn't been able to see where the evil would rise from and what was waking it. Closing her eyes, she prayed, until footsteps resonated behind her. Turning around, she faced her brother.

"Ishizu, we've returned."

"Marik!" she exclaimed, a smile of relief on her face. "Thank goodness, you're here. I take it you found the Pure One."

"I have, she is in the chamber of the sacred pool. I have also gathered all the items." Throwing her a serious look, he grabbed her by the shoulders. "How have you been, sister?"

"The visions are more and more blurry. The darkness is affecting my powers," she said, touching the golden necklace. "We should hold the ceremony for the awakening tonight."

"Are you certain? It's not the new moon yet..."

"We cannot waste anymore time," she replied calmly, but eyes filled with worry. "I fear the evil is close already. We need the Pharaoh now."

The urgency in her voice was enough to get to her brother and fellow Tomb Keeper stop doubting. Ishzizu was the wisest, and he trusted her, wholly. Marik nodded in agreement. "I will take care of the preparations with Odion and Bakura. You should go rest until the ceremony."

Shaking her head, she refused. "I must take care of the Pure One. She must be confused beyond understanding."

"She is very shaken. The Thief King might have killed someone dear to her."

It was rare for Ishizu to let her emotions get the best of her. But this time, her irritation made her frown. "I knew it wasn't a good idea to have him help."

"Without him, we wouldn't have found her, sister. Or the rest of the items."

"I can't help but wonder why a wandering spirit suddenly appeared like that to help us. The prophecy did not predict any of this. I can't shake the feeling that he's up to no good and will interfere, Marik."

Marik looked behind them, as if to make sure Bakura wasn't around. "I do not trust him either. I'm certain he has his own agenda, but if I learned one thing about him, it's that he'll stop at nothing to make the awakening happen. What he gets from it is another story."

"Did he not ask you for the Millennium Items?"

"Yes, but I don't see what he could use them for. Once the Pharaoh awakens, their power will return to him, will it not? In any case, I will ask Odion to keep a close eye on him. Let me deal with him, while you focus on the Pure One."

"Very well."

* * *

"For the last time, Mokuba, no!" snapped the eldest Kaiba brother.

The young CEO quickly tossed a couple of clean shirts, pants, socks etc in a bag. Hobson was waiting for him outside with the limo to take him to the Kaiba Corps airfields. He'd managed to get one of his jet pilots and personnel to prep the plane for take off in an hour, which was a miracle. He didn't have a minute to waste. Mokuba who was sitting on his brother's bed was trying to convince him to let him come along.

"But Seto, I want to come with!" he insisted. "It's my fault this happened, I have to fix it."

"I already told you it wasn't your fault," shot down Seto, throwing his toothbrush into the bag and closing it. "You're staying here, and that's final."

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO ALONE!" he shouted, tears bursting out of his eyes. This time, he got his brother's full attention. "What if something happens to you too, Seto? Who's gonna rescue you?"

Letting out a sigh, Kaiba pulled Mokuba off his bed and held him by the shoulders. "This is me we're talking about, little brother. Every time you were kidnapped, I found you, didn't I?"

The ten year old sniffled but nodded.

"Don't worry. I'll find Yugi and I'll be back before you know it. Hold the fort while I'm gone. When I get back, you and I are gonna take a vacation somewhere cool. Alright?"

Clenching his fists, the youngest shook as he tried to keep the tears in. Anger and worry were tearing him apart, but there was no way in hell Kaiba was going to risk the safety of his brother. Having Yugi taken like that right under his nose was not something he wanted to happen twice. Especially not to his little brother. With that, he stood back up and grabbed his bag and briefcase before heading downstairs and then outside. On the way to the airport, he made a few last minute calls to his heads of businesses, giving them instructions on how to run things while he was gone. He didn't plan to be gone for long, but then again, who knew. One thing for sure, he wasn't coming back until he found her. When he hung up after the fifteenth call, his chauffeur looked at him in the rearview mirror.

"Master Seto," said Hobson. "The material you asked for has just left the mansion. It should arrive right after us."

"Good."

Not soon enough for his taste, they arrived at the fields. In front of the jet, the geek squad was waiting. They all looked like they were ready for combat. Each of them had a school backpack sized bag, and they were all wearing basic easy to move in, travel clothes. Like soldiers on a mission, huh? He was still convinced that they would just be in the way. But he'd made a deal. Wheeler's psychic had given them something, though a country wasn't exactly a clear location, so he'd let them tag along. Who knows? Maybe they'd come in handy. As he stepped out of the limo, the punk approached him.

"Ya sure took yar time, moneybags."

Kaiba really didn't want to waste time explaining to that moron how long it usually took to prepare a plane for take off. Including all the legal formalities, it would've taken anyone else a week at least. He was surprised that Joey even had a passport.

"Get your ass in the plane, mutt, if you don't want to be left behind."

* * *

 **Oh dear... will they make it in time? What are the Tomb Keepers planning to do to Yugi? What is Bakura's hidden agenda? Wouldn't you like to know? ;)**

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	20. Awakened

**Hello everyone! Again, sorry for the tardiness, I have no valid excuse this time.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

How long had she been laying there, staring at the same spot on the stony ceiling ever since she'd finished eating? A few minutes? Two hours? Was it night time already? The exhaustion was the same as when she'd arrived, but she forbade herself from sleeping. Who knew what might happen if she did? But she didn't feel as stuffed as before. The temperature contrast between inside and outside was flagrant. It was almost chili down here. Or that was just a side effect of the ever present anxiety.

'I have to do something, before I go insane.'

A couple of glances around told her that nothing would be of use in this room. There was no window, and nothing that could substitute as a lock pick. Not that she'd know how to use one. The door was too thick for her to even try to force open. Her eyes turned to the second door. Maybe there was something she could use in there. Getting up, she pushed open the second door. But she was not prepared for what she saw. The room next door was gigantic to say the least. There was a large pool in the middle, shaped like a bowl, maybe nine feet deep at the center. It occupied most of the floor. The walls looked like they were made of piled up flat stones. But the most breathtaking discovery, was the hole in the ceiling, twenty feet above her. There was a large round opening, letting the sunlight in. Half as wide as the pool itself. Yugi had never felt so happy to see the daylight. Most of all, there was her chance at getting out. That idea didn't last long.

'Even if I do make it to the top,' she thought, 'I'm still in the middle of the desert.'

Still, her body moved on it's on, and she reached up to clutch one of the stones on the wall to see if she could lift herself up. But the moment she tried, a sharp pain shot stung her hand and she immediately took it back. A large cut had started bleeding across her palm.

"Ow, crap!" she cursed, looking around, but there was nothing to be used as a bandage.

Blood leaked out quickly, so doing the only thing possible, Yugi knelt in front of the water and stuck her hand into the pool.

"Can't even touch a stone without getting hurt. I really am that useless?" her eyes watered again. She remembered when a certain classmate of hers came to school, every day, having a different wound. "I'm sorry Joey. I'm just not like you..."

Suddenly, something caught her attention. The water was moving. But how? This was a pool, there couldn't be any current. And they were way too far underground for the wind to do anything. But it was definitely moving.

 _Yugi_

Who was that? Who was calling her? It didn't sound like the voice from the puzzle, but it was similar. Her eye caught something. Something moving in the water. She leaned closer to see. And closer. The voice called out to her again. So she got closer. Closer. She could almost see it. But before she knew it, she lost balance and fell in. But her first reflex was not to go back to the surface. No, the voice was much clearer in the water. So she opened her eyes, and they widened in shock. She wasn't swimming. She was floating. And hundreds of feet bellow her, there was a city. An ancient city, judging from the architecture. It seemed be made out of gold and shun brightly. The view was breathtaking. But then a shadow came over it, and everything darkened. Not only that, it crumbled. She couldn't detach her eyes from it, and she heard them. Screams of pain and terror as everything burned and broke. What was this? What was happening?

 _The past will repeat itself_

'What does that mean?' she thought.

 _The past will repeat itself. The King must return and the chosen one must awaken him._

'I don't understand... Who am I even talking to?'

 _Breath_

'What?'

 _Breath Yugi_

Her lungs started burning horribly, and turning away from the vision she swam up, until she pierced the surface of the pool and inhaled some well needed air.

"What the hell was that?" she muttered. Looking behind her, she saw nothing more than the bottom of the pool. No city getting torn apart or screams resonating in her ears.

Not eager to go through that again, she quickly pulled herself out of the water. But she felt different. Pulling her arms up, she touched her skin. It was smooth, and didn't feel like sand paper anymore. Not only that, she felt refreshed. She was clean and hydrated. Like she'd just taken a bath. She looked at her hands again.

"Didn't I just scratch myself?"

Both her palms were perfectly alright, without a trace of a scar. And when she looked at the wall where she'd tried to climb, there wasn't a trace of blood either.

"It's official, I'm going insane."

Shivers suddenly shook her and goosebumps invaded her skin. At least she was sure she'd taken a dip in the water. He clothes were drenched.

'It's so cold now,' she thought, wrapping her arms around herself.

Quickly, she made her way back into her room, wanting to warm up near the torches if possible. But when she walked in, someone was sitting at the table. It was a woman wearing a long white ankle length dress with a golden belt around the waist, sandals and white vail on her head. Around her neck was a necklace bearing the Eye of Horus. Yugi remained in the doorframe, uncertain. When the woman noticed her, she stood up and bowed down, confusing her even more.

"It is an honor to meet you, Yugi Muto," she said, before straightening back up. "My name is Ishizu Ishtar. I am the priestess of the Tomb Keepers."

The name immediately made the short girl wary of the newcomer. "Ishtar? Like Marik..."

"He is my brother," replied Ishizu, straightforwardly. "You probably wish to change before we speak. You'll catch your death in those wet clothes."

With that, she pointed towards the bed. A sleeveless white dress was laying there, as well as a pair of sandals. Convenient and disturbing. How the hell did she know that she was going to fall in the pool? Or had they always plan to have her wear this? In any case, her shivering told her that she was on the verge of catching a cold, and this was honestly not the best time to be sick. Reluctantly, she undressed and put on the dress and shoes. It fitted her perfectly. Even the sandals. Almost like they knew what her sizes were. Turning around she looked at the priestess. Maybe she could get answers out of her.

"I know you have many questions," said the priestess, interrupting her before she even started. "Before anything, allow me to apologize for everything that you've been through. I am terribly sorry. Had there been another way, we would have taken it."

Those words made her incapable of speaking for a few seconds. The look on Ishizu's face reminded Yugi of Odion. They seemed to share that same sadness about their eyes. Marik didn't though. The apology sounded sincere. But how could you just apologize for something like this? The Tomb Keepers had her locked up and could literally do anything to her at any moment.

"Why? Why did you do this?" she replied, clenching her fists. "What could you people possibly have wanted that required to do this?! I was kidnapped twice! My Grandpa is in a coma and might never wake up! My friends got attacked and you k...and you ki..."

Killed Joey, was what she was about to say. She was suppose to hope that he was alive. But right now, all she felt was that enormous weight of those events, and still not understanding anything. Patiently, Ishizu waited for her to catch her breath and finish. Still looking at her with those pity filled eyes. Biting her lips, Yugi hoped the pain would keep her from crying.

"Why am I a sacrifice? Who is the Pharaoh?" she asked, her voice unfortunately squeaking. "What do you want with me?"

Ishizu closed her eyes for a moment, before sitting back down in the chair. "It's only fair that you be given an explanation. You, Yugi Muto, are the only one who can help us."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "That's a strange turn of phrase."

"You witnessed the powers of the Millennium Items, did you not?"

"Yes."

"What did you think?"

What had she thought? She no longer doubted higher forces, that was for sure. "It's some sort of magic..."

"You could say that. They belong to Egypt's hidden history. Five thousand years ago, those Items were forged to protect Egypt from threats that were not of this world. I believe you would call them dark spirits or monsters."

Yugi blinked incredulously. "Spirit? As in... ghosts?"

"Back in ancient times, when people believed a lot more, the spirits would haunt and feed on the weak and corrupt souls. To the point of sometimes gaining physical form. Egypt became plagued with darkness and the chaos nearly destroyed the kingdom. So, in order to protect his people, a pharaoh created the Items in order to break the barrier between our world and the world of the spirits. This allowed him and six of his most trusted advisors to predict and counter catastrophes brought on by the creatures."

If she'd been told this in any other context, there is no way in hell she would have believed that. This was like a fairy tail. Spirits? Seriously? After the power of mind destruction, mind reading, and hypnosis, this? It was still a lot to take in. It really sounded like she was explaining to her the plot of a complicated RPG. Regardless of her confusion, Ishizu continued without giving her the chance to digest.

"The Items were passed down to a new generation, and Egypt slowly regained balance, thanks to the alliance of the wielders and the spirits that allied themselves with them. But one terribly powerful spirit tried to take possession of the Pharaoh and reduce the country to ashes. The Pharaoh sacrificed his life to seal the monster away. But he paid a heavy price for it."

Unbelievable. In the space of two minutes and a monologue, she was expected to believe that.

"I see doubt and confusion on your face," commented the priestess. "I understand that it's hard to comprehend. But you cannot deny it. Not after having seen the powers of the Millennium Items."

"Y-You believe all of that?"

"I have seen it all," Ishizu brought a hand up to her necklace. "The Millennium Necklace gives me the power to gaze into the past and the future."

Compelling argument, considering these people knew everything about the Millennium Items. Again, it occurred to Yugi that this woman didn't seem like a liar. Still, even from what she was being told, how the hell was she fitting in all of this? Again, the priestess replied as if she read her mind.

"A year ago, I had a vision. The spirit of shadows that the Pharaoh sealed away will return. Ever since, my visions have become more and more blurry. I'm unable to see where and when exactly this evil will reappear. But the time is near, I feel it. If nothing is done, he will ravage not only Egypt, but the whole world. The only way to counter this evil, is to assemble all the powers of the Millennium Items and bring back the one who sealed him the first time, so he can do it again."

"Hold on a minute. Are you saying you want to revive someone who's been dead for thousands of years?"

"Precisely."

She was serious. Yugi couldn't believe this. Magic and spirits were one thing. But reviving the dead? The Millennium Puzzle suddenly came to mind. "Wait... The voice, the one that talked to me when I had the puzzle. Was that a spirit?"

"No, that was a human soul. A soul that has been trapped in the Puzzle for over five thousand years, unable to rest."

"The Nameless Pharaoh?" Izhizu nodded. "A-Assuming I believe you, I still don't understand what you want from me..."

Something else appeared in Ishizu's eyes. That sadness was still here, but now there seemed to be misery and hopelessness too. Yugi's inside contracted in anticipation, sensing trouble. "In order to resurrect the Pharaoh, the ritual requires different things. First of all, the Puzzle needs to be put back together by the Pure One. An untainted soul with no selfish intentions. And secondly..."

The door was suddenly kicked open, interrupting Ishizu and making both of them jump. The white haired teen entered that same sadistic smirk on his face as before.

"You're really dragging this out, Priestess," he said, before turning to Yugi. "I'll make it easy for you shorty. We need your blood."

"W-What?" she let out, taking a step back.

"And here's the fun part," he said as he grabbed the Ring from his neck pulled it up.

The Eye of Horus shun, and the next thing she knew, Yugi hit the floor violently, crushing her shoulder. Painful vibrations travelled through her body. What happened? She was expecting to pass out but she was still fully conscious. After a couple of attempts at getting up though, horror struck her.

'I can't... I can't move!'

Her insides contracted even more and something compressed her brain, as the anxiety rose. When he crouched down next to her, she thought her heart was going to stop. "We don't even know how much blood will be needed for the ceremony. So you might just die."

"Bakura!" shouted Ishizu, rising from her seat and for once having clear anger on her face. "Don't speak so recklessly!"

"Give me a break, Ishizu," he replied, picking the paralyzed Yugi from the ground. "The only reason you felt like explaining everything to her was because you felt sorry for her. But I'll tell you something. It's much more cruel to let someone hope when they're about to die."

Die? She was going to die?

"You do not know that, Thief King," snapped back the priestess.

"Stop with the hypocrisy, already. You'll sacrifice her to the Pharaoh no matter what she knows, so what difference does it make? You might as well tell her the truth. Marik and Odion are done with the preparations, so just move it already."

He stepped out of the room, and made his way down the dark hallway like the dark was no trouble. But Yugi was gone. Unable to move her body, her consciousness had retreated to the deepest corner of her mind, processing what Bakura had said. She was going to die? Here, twenty feet underground? Sacrificed for a dead man? She would've screamed, but her voice was a paralyzed as the rest of her. The thought played back, again and again in her head, blocking out anything else. Something wet dripped down her hanging head. After a long stroll in darkness Bakura, followed by Ishizu entered a large room. From the angle she was given, Yugi could see that there was a huge squared platform elevated in the middle of the room. In the middle of that platform was a sarcophagus, on a stone altar. It was surrounded by a circle, carved into the ground, along with numerous hieroglyphs inside. And outside the circle, were deeper carvings. Ones that had the shape of the Millennium Items. But there were only six. No carving for the Puzzle. Behind the sarcophagus, was what looked like a giant door that took up the entire wall. Marik and Odion were already there.

"Everything is prepared, Ishizu," said Odion. "All the exits of the temple have been sealed."

"Let's get this over with," stated the priestess climbing up the stairs to join her brothers. "There is no need to prolong pain."

Marik turned to Bakura. "You take care of that part."

"With pleasure."

She wished she could faint. If she could talk, she'd beg them to knock her out first. Why was this happening to her? When had everything gone so wrong? She heard her own breath become shaky as more water leaked out of her eyes. After all she'd seen, everything she'd been through, it wasn't supposed to be possible for her to be more afraid. But she was wrong.

"Don't worry, shorty," whispered Bakura. "It'll be over soon."

Marik opened the bag at his feet and one by one, placed the items in their respective spots. Meanwhile, Odion pushed open the sarcophagus, that must have weighted a ton, judging from the force he had to apply. Marik then took out the Puzzle. Her Puzzle. The one she'd spent so many hours working on. The one who'd started everything. If only she'd never had it... The Tomb Keeper placed the puzzle inside the sarcophagus, before he and Odion stepped out of the circle. Ishizu then stepped forward, closed her eyes. When she spoke, the language was unknown to Yugi. It didn't even sound like any language she'd ever heard. But as the priestess prayed, an intense tremor shook the room. The gigantic door cracked open, revealing a light that resembled the golden glow of the sun itself.

"The gate of the spirit world is opened," declared the priestess. "It's time."

She spoke more words in that strange language, and the Millennium Items suddenly started to glow, as brightly as the light coming out of the opened gate. That's when Bakura crouched down and put her on the ground, next to the carved circle. Correcting the angle of her head, he turned her towards the sarcophagus.

"Keep your eyes open, half-pint. This might be the last thing you'll ever see," he said, as he grabbed her arm and moved it over the carvings. Reaching in his pocket, he took out his knife. The same knife he'd used to kill Pegasus and stab Joey. "Better warn you though; this is gonna hurt like a bitch."

The pounding of her racing heart, resonated in her head, threatening to crack her skull. When he raised his knife, she thought it was going to pop in her chest. Mercilessly, the blade pierced through in the middle of her forearm, before making a straight line to the wrist. She didn't even get a reaction from her paralyzed muscles, but her scream tore through her throat like glass shard. It hurt. It hurt so bad.

'Make it stop! Please, make it stop!' shouted her mind to no one in particular, but the words never made it to her mouth.

She could only pant and sob, as a river of blood escaped from her arm and leaked into the carvings on the ground. With unnatural speed, the entire crest turned turned red, and shun bright like a ruby in the sunlight. It was at the same time beautiful and terrifying. Then, in a flash, the red rushed towards the altar and crept inside the sarcophagus. The items stopped shinning and the tremors in the ground suddenly stopped. Everything was quiet. The Tomb Keepers and Bakura, stared at the altar without blinking, and holding holding there breaths. Yugi realized that she could move again, when she brought her butchered arm to her chest. Getting to her knees quickly, she covered the wound with her free hand, trying to stop the flow. But the wound was too wide, and her white dress turned red. Seeing the blood slip through her fingers, and starting to feel dizzy, she started shaking in fear.

'I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't...'

Suddenly, she froze when her eyes landed on the sarcophagus. Or more precisely, on the bandaged hand holding on to the edge. A hand that looked well alive. Her eyes widened, and she was just as hypnotized as the rest of them. A figure rose from the ancient coffin, darkened by the blinding light coming out of the gate behind. But it was a human figure, covered from head to toe with mummy wrappings. In one hand, it held the Millennium Puzzle. The astonishment didn't even give her the chance to think anything. The figure then slowly brought a hand up to grasp the wrappings around his face and pull them off, revealing the face of a man. The three Tomb Keepers all knelt down at the same time, left foot forward and bowed to the figure.

"Welcome back, Pharaoh," said Ishizu. "It is an honor to be in your presence."

The man didn't respond but his ruby colored eyes narrowed on the people in front of him. Even though he wasn't looking at her, a shiver of discomfort shook her. That presence... it was all so familiar. And yet a thousand time stronger than what she'd felt before. She stared in awe, having forgotten everything else, including her heavily bleeding arm. It was like something bad would happen if she looked away. The man in the sarcophagus grabbed the bandages at his chest, and pulled all the wrapping off of himself. He still said nothing and kept an intense gaze on the Tomb Keepers. Then, suddenly, he turned his head and met eyes with her. She gasped. Those eyes were seeing right through her, just like the Millennium Eye had, but so much stronger. That man... he could see everything.

'No...Not this again. No more...'

She was gone before she even hit the floor, as her own blood pooled around her.

* * *

 **And then Yugi dies, end of story, byyyyye! Just kidding, I hope you're all happy about Atem's return. Now who wants to see Kaiba and the geek squad do some detective work and...get along somehow?**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	21. Brewing storms

**Note to self: don't make promises you can't keep! *sigh*. Hi guys! I've been gone for a while, reevaluating my life, sorry, story choices and hopefully my reflecting was not in vain. I hope you'll like the new chapter 21.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Dreams. For most of Yugi's life, they'd decorated her sleep, and had been peaceful. But this one was awful. She was sitting on the ground, hugging her legs, and all around her, was a forest of black thorn. She cried, but what dripped from her face were tears of blood. The only sound she heard was her own sobs and the banshee-like scream of the wind racing through the trees of thorns. A real nightmare, and yet... yet she didn't want to wake up. Because reality had become much worse than a nightmare. For a moment, she wished she was dying. This way she wouldn't have to wake up.

 _Why do you cry?_

The voice made her look up. Above her forest of thorns and misery, a large white creature was flying. A dragon. A dragon with blue eyes. She would've been surprised, but this was a dream. Anything could happen, and it was far less threatening than reality. What did surprise her however, was the gentle look of the creature. It almost felt real. The giant creature lowered it's head as close as the thorns aloud it.

 _You have to wake up soon. It is never good to wander too long in your own nightmare._

The creature sounded motherly, and it's voice was light and clear despite it's imposing appearance. Did her own dream want to discuss with her. Why not? It was better than passing time by staring at her own blood tears.

"I don't want to wake up," she said. "I'll be hurt again."

 _You are afraid._

"Of course I'm scared!" she shouted this time, as more tears bursted out of her eyes. "I'm tired of being in pain. I just want all of this to stop."

Looked like the pain in her chest was also present in her dream. She wanted to feel safe again. She wanted to play her games. She wanted to be back home. She wanted to know that everyone was alright. Was it too much to ask?

"I want to see Joey," she muttered, more to herself than to the white dragon. "I want to be with my friends."

 _I understand. But that is not possible as long as you remain in your dream. It's not safe. Not with the darkness lurking around. So wake up._

"I-I can't. They'll..."

 _Seek the Pharaoh. He will not allow you to be hurt._

The Pharaoh? As in the one she was sacrificed to? For a dream, that dragon sure knew what it was talking about. But then again, it was a creation of her own subconscious, so it technically knew everything she did. The dragon let out a noise that suspiciously sounded like laughter. It's sapphire blue eyes then seemed to soften even more.

 _The Pharaoh is your ally. He will protect you with his life._

"How can you know that?"

 _Because he told me so._

"What?"

 _Wake up, Pure One. Wake up and have faith._

* * *

"I know this is Egypt guys, but still," said Tristan, laying on his back on the carpet, having taken off his shirt. "I didn't think it'd be this, freaking, hot!"

No one answered, but they all agreed. The temperature was suffocating. Even for the locals, the country rarely reached these temperatures, even at the peak of summer season. There was one thing in common between Kaiba and Joey. But the young CEO would rather throw himself into an active volcano and turn into a fossil rather than admit it. Life was a bully, and living meant pushing back against it. And the universe just loved proving Joey right. How were they going to get through this? They'd landed in Cairo over twenty-four hours ago. Ever since, the sky had been covered in heavy black storm clouds, darkening the day. Incessant series of lighting bolts struck every couple of seconds, a near hurricane-like wind strong enough to make cars take off the ground hadn't stopped blowing and kept getting stronger. And to top it all off, every couple of hours or so, earthquakes shook the city. Not with strong enough magnitude to cause any significant danger, but enough to keep the locals on high alert.

The gang had signed into a five star hotel (curtesy of moneybags), and since then, had proceeded to search for Yugi despite the circumstances. Kaiba had brought his own computer, to hack into the security system of the airport and get the imaging of the private field. He'd managed to find that the Black Jet 9077 had indeed landed at Cairo's International Airport. But the city's surveillance system was not nearly as developed as Domino's. Following their trail would've been extremely difficult even without their complications. The weather made it, that even the fancy hotel had electricity and connexion problems. They hadn't been able to access anything in hours. Even their phones barely had signal. While Kaiba had been struggling with his tech, the others had defied the weather to go ask around. Through newspapers and a little translation, they'd found the pilot. Eric Goal was apparently under the care of a hospital, after not remembering ever flying to Egypt. It was a miracle he was even alive according to Kaiba, seeing how the bastards had had no qualms about slitting Handers's throat. The girls had managed to sneak into the hospital and go talk to him, but he told them the same thing he'd told everyone. That last thing he remembered was the Eye of Horus. Dead end after dead end, the exhaustion and the heat were starting to take their tole. When Joey and Kisa returned, Tristan was shirtless on the ground, sweating like a pig. Electricity issues also meant thermal regulation issues. The AC was dead, so the hotel had provided all their guests with fans. Way too insufficient. Tea was also practically passed out on the couch, waving her paper made fan into her face, but she sprang up when they arrived.

"Anything?" she asked, hopeful.

Kisa shook her head. "The director of the museum said that they had heard of an Ishtar during an auction a while back, but nothing precise. And they've never heard of the Millennium Items before either."

Before the brown haired girl could even sigh, a glass breaking noise made them all turn towards the young billionaire. He'd punched one of his screens, which surprised them. But none of them said anything. Kaiba looked like he was about to murder someone.

"Tech doesn't work. The locals aren't helping. Goal doesn't remember anything," he enumerated. "We've been wasting our time."

"I'll try callin' Duke again," said Joey, reaching for his pocket.

"How?" said Tristan. "Kaiba's super computer doesn't work. What makes you think our phones are gonna help? Face it, Joey, we're stranded."

That comment earned him a murderous glare from his friend. "If ya have a better idea, I'd love to hear it!"

"It's a stupid idea, Wheeler," added Kaiba. "There's nothing we can do. We have to wait for that parasite of a storm to get lost."

"You call that a brilliant ideas? How about something where we move our asses, and find Yugi before she gets messed up or worse, moneybags?!"

"They've had plenty of time to do whatever it is they wanted with her, mutt! If they wanted to kill her, then she's dead."

Joey crossed the room to grab the billionaire by the collar. "Don't say shit like that! Ya got no proof!"

"I don't need proof!" retorted Kaiba, pushing him away. "This is logic, pure and simple. Something you're not accustomed to. Face reality, they've had all the time in the world while we were running around, chasing our own tails!"

"Then get yar fat head out o' yar high tech and be creative already! We can't just sit here!"

"That's rich coming from you. You think I'd be saying that if I had another idea, you moron? Need I remind you that we wouldn't be in this situation if it weren't for you!"

The two boys stared at each other, ready to throw themselves at each others throats. Until Joey realized that Kaiba was trying to provoke just that. Consciously or not was another question. He felt the urge as well. The urge to lash out, and break everything around until a solution appeared. Even the others didn't try to stop them, for once. But how the hell was that going to help? All they could do was wait, just like the smartest person in the group had said. A heavy silence fell in the room as they all realized this. They were stuck. Joey bit his lip, and crashed his fist against the wall, sending a wave of pain through his hand and arm.

"Damn it!" he cursed, before letting himself slide down the wall.

A lightening bolt hitting closer made them all look up at the storm through the giant window. It was obviously getting worse. Why of all times now? How long until they could even go out again? On his way back from the museum with Kisa, they'd nearly died three times.

'Yug, please. Please, for God's sake, be alright,' he silently begged, gripping his hair.

The mix of heat and nervousness made every part of him sweat even more, and he felt like he was going to choke. So he imitated his friend and took off his shirt. Kaiba was the only one still in his usual black attire. This guy really wasn't human. Tea was hugging her legs on the couch, slightly swinging back and forth. Tristan was just staring at the ceiling. Kisa, on the other hand had moved towards the window, facing outside. Her eyes were closed, she was muttering something and had her hands clasped together. Tristan noticed as well.

"Kisa, what..."

"Don't talk to her," interrupted Tea. "She's praying."

Praying? The class rep believed in God? That was new info.

"Tch," let out Tristan. "Like that's gonna help."

"Shut up, Tristan," said Tea, before leaning her forehead on top of her knees. "At this point, that's all we can do."

Joey expected the overly skeptical rich boy to verbally assault the class rep as well, but Kaiba remained in his chair, eyes forward with unbreakable concentration, probably looking for a solution. The blond boy sighed and looked up. When raised in the middle of criminals, beliefs were usually of earthly orders. He'd never given much thought about God. And now, he found himself begging him for a favor. He'd do anything just to have this one wish granted. When the heat and stress finally knocked him out, he was still praying.

* * *

"Wake up," whispered a voice, as someone gently shook him. "Wake up."

Growling, the boy rubbed his face before yawning. "Class rep? What is it?"

"We must go," she said.

She then turned away and went to Kaiba who was still in his chair, sprawled out on the table in front of his useless computer. Tristan and Tea were up and staring strangely at the class rep. What surprised Joey was that his pal had his shirt back on despite the still suffocating heat. And they had their shoes on. Putting back his own shirt he approached the two.

"What's goin' on?"

"Kisa's acting... weird," said Tea, keeping an eye on her as she was waking up Kaiba.

"What d'ya mean?"

Tristan threw him a bewildered look. "She just told us to wake up and put our shoes on. Says we have to go."

"Go? Go where?"

"She didn't say."

Kaiba woke up and also asked her where they were going. Kisa didn't reply. She only looked at him for a long time, a strange happy smile on her face. What was she so happy about? A few... whatevers ago (he had no clue how long they'd slept), she'd been just as desperate as the rest of them. Finally, she moved towards the door and opened it.

"Follow me," she said, cheerfully.

The trio looked at each other strangely before following her into the hallway. They walked until they reached the elevators and she pressed the call button.

"Huh, Kisa?" called out Tea. "Are we taking the elevators?"

"Yes," she assured. "We have to reach the ground."

Her friend frowned. "The staff told us not to use the elevators because of the power outages."

She seemed surprise. "Did they? I must have forgotten. Let us take the stairs then."

This time, Kaiba finally crossed his arms on his chest. "Okay, cut that out. We're not going anywhere until you tell us what's going on."

Again, she simply smiled. "Do you not trust me?"

"It's not a question of trust," snapped the clearly annoyed rich boy. "It's about communicating. Where are we going?"

"To the undergrounds of the Valley of Kings, the home of the Tomb Keepers. Do you not wish to see Yugi?"

They all froze for a moment. Had they heard correctly?

"Ya know where she is?" asked Joey, so stunned his jaw practically hit the floor. "How the hell?"

"Does it matter?"

"Who are you and what do you want?" asked Kaiba. "She doesn't know anymore than we do. You talk like you're a stuck up princess and Kisa doesn't forget things. The one I know doesn't toy around with her friends either, especially not in a situation like this. So fess up. And I warn you, if you're lying, I will make you regret it."

His words were backed up by his tone and posture. In all of his Kaibaness, he really did look intimidating next to the white haired girl. But Joey suddenly remembered that the weird sensation he'd felt earlier, when he didn't recognize her. It was the same as when Yugi had completed the puzzle. It was her but not her at the same time. So if this wasn't the class rep, who was it?

Kaiba didn't blink while staring down at her, waiting for her to crack. Her smile had finally disappeared and she only stared back. After a few awfully long seconds, she chuckled.

"Forgive me. It's cruel to provoke you like this. But I was hoping to see this side of you. You truly are his heir," she said, quickly rubbing the corner of her eye quickly before looking up at him again. "You are just like my Seth."

Facing all of them this time, she bowed slightly, a hand on her heart. "As for who I am, well, I am Kisa."

"I told you to cut the crap," growled the billionaire.

"I am Kisa," she insisted, this time putting on a serious face. "Kisa as she was, five thousand years ago. Then, I was known as Kisara. And I am here, because I was asked to fulfill someone's wish."

* * *

 _Wake up, Pure One. Wake up and have faith._

With after those words, the white dragon flapped it's gigantic wind and disappeared, and Yugi opened her eyes, finding herself staring at the open ceiling of the pool room. She was laying on a thin mattress on the side of the water. Her left arm was soaking in the water. She sat up like lightening had just struck her, grabbing her arm, as if to make sure it wasn't bleeding. But she saw nothing. Her skin was smooth, clean and there wasn't a trace of a scar. She stared at it in awe, frozen in place.

"The sacred pool has a lot of very surprising effects," said a voice that made her jump and look up.

Marik was standing in the entrance, looking at her with the same neutral eyes as Ishizu. As he stepped closer, he continued his explanation. "However, only particularly pure souls can be healed as quickly as you."

Realizing that he was getting closer, she tried getting up but sat right back down when she suddenly felt dizzy. It was like her brain was going through a washing machine. When it settled a little, Marik was in front of her, offering her a hand. She threw him a suspicious look.

"You have nothing to fear, Pure One," he declared.

"That's what you said when you kidnapped me," she said, looking away. "Then you made him cut me..."

"We had no other choice. But I am glad that you survived. It seemed the Pharaoh didn't need too much of you to be reborn. You have no more reason to fear for yourself. And we are eternally grateful."

Why did the way those siblings talk felt so honest? Why was she believing them after what they'd done? But she suddenly processed everything he said.

"Does that mean... I can go home?!"

"Not right away," said Ishizu, who'd just entered the room. She looked even more tired than before. "For the Pharaoh to be completely whole, he needs to bathe in the spiritual energy that now flows in the undergrounds for the next two days. Until then, all the exits will remain sealed until then. Once the delay has passed, you will be free."

"So you're still keeping me here..."

"I'm sorry."

It wasn't soon enough. She wanted to leave now. To run and never come back. This was insane. All this mess, all these people hurt... just so they could get their hands on a little of her blood. And someone had come back to life because of it? The eyes ruby-red eyes flashed in her mind, and a shiver travelled down her spine. Since she seemed to have gone mute again, the priestess continued, as if explaining ground rules.

"Feel free to walk around the undergrounds, if you wish. But be careful not to get lost. These hallways are a maze."

"What time is it?" she asked, wanting perspective.

"Around midnight," answered Marik.

Her eyes widened in surprise, and she looked up at the opening, which was clearly letting daylight in. "But...we can see the sun."

A chuckle escaped the brother of the Tomb Keepers. "You fell for it. This is not the sky, it's a one way gate to the spirit world. The tears of the spirit fall through here, and fill the sacred pool. You are not the first to make that mistake. It's been used since ancient times for healing and divination."

Even though Ishizu had already mentioned the spirits, it still sounded surreal. But she had trouble following everything. But the last thing she wanted was to begin being friendly with these people. Maybe their saving the world scenario was true (she had no reason not to believe them after all she'd seen), they still had put her through hell. And she really didn't want to spend two more days in these creepy tunnels. Marik offered her a hand again, that she took this time. He let her cling to him until her head stopped spinning. Ugh, washing machine? More like roller coaster.

"I was asked to relay a message to you," said Ishizu, pulling her out of her thoughts. "The Pharaoh would like to see you."

He insides tightened, and the priestess read her panicked face quite easily. "I will not force you. I can understand if you would rather stay away."

"I-I don't want anything to do with him. I'm sorry..." she began, thinking that Kaiba would slap her if he saw her apologize to her kidnappers like that. "I want to be alone."

Instead of waiting for them to leave the room, or even answer, she herself hurried out of the room, ended up in the hallway and aimlessly walked away. What was wrong with her? Why was she so panicked? The Pharaoh... the one all this madness was revolving around. Again, she remembered his eyes, unable to get that look out of her head. Her teeth chattered and her heart hammered in her chest. Just like she was when she first heard the voice. Shaking her head, she looked up. Her vision seemed to have adjusted to the darkness better. And there were torches lighting the hallway. Stopping, she looked at the hieroglyphs on the wall. Her eyes then stopped on a large carving that seemed vaguely familiar. It looked like a dragon. Strangely like the one from her dream.

"Why would it say that the Pharaoh is my ally?"

All she wanted to do was run away from all of this. Extending a hand she passed a hand on the carving, she touched the old stone, and shook her head, smiling sadly at herself. She really was crazy, taking her dreams seriously. The carving next to it suddenly caught her eye. It represented a man in, she supposed, royal priest clothing. Buy what really caught her eye was his face. Sharp chin, pointy nose, bangs stopping just above the eyes... For some reason she pictured sharp grey blue eyes. And her eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"Kaiba?!"

Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet suddenly shook, strongly enough to knock her of balance. She expected to fall heavily on her butt, but instead of meeting the stone, she hit something soft and was pushed back into perfect balance. The ground had already stopped shaking. Turning around to see what she'd bumped into, she instead found herself face to face with... a floating hairball. With eyes.

"Ah!" she squeaked as she hit the wall behind her.

But the brown fur-ball just stared at her. Rubbing her eyes, she looked again. No, she wasn't dreaming this time. She held her breath when the creature floated towards her.

"No no no!" she exclaimed, putting a hand out. "Stay back!"

But when the thing hit her hand, it only closed it's eyes and cuddled against her palm, letting out a high pitched sound of appreciation. She stayed frozen for a moment. It was almost cute. Almost. In a really weird deformed-kiwi-bird kind of way. At least it wasn't trying to eat her or anything.

"Where did you come from anyways?" she asked, risking petting it.

It seemed to like it and flew up to her face to cuddle to her cheek this time. For some reason, it liked her. A lot, apparently. It reminded her of a hyper house cat, but it didn't look like any animal she knew.

"Wait a minute. A-Are you a spirit?"

The creature seemed overjoyed by her discovery, and backed up a little to do a backflip in the air. Woah. Despite Ishizu's description of monsters threatening the world, this thing looked about as threatening as a pillow. And to be honest, she found it funny.

'Are there different sizes for spirits?' she thought, examining the little creature, that was now making circles around her. 'Maybe it's a baby? Do baby spirits even exist? It doesn't look like it's just wandering around though...'

"Yugi?"

Her blood froze in her veins. She knew this voice. The voice. Only so much more present. So much more real. And close behind her too. She didn't even realize that she stopped breathing. Slowly, she turned around. Further down the hallway, stood the nameless Pharaoh.

* * *

 **Well, about time those two met face to face! Speaking of, where has Bakura run off to?**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	22. Hidden agenda

**I know, I know, I'm tardy. Sorry guys. I got a lot of work recently, and I'm looking for a new job. Yeah, got stuff to do! Anyways, I hope you'll enjoy the chapter!**

 **Kudos!**

* * *

How much distance was there between them? Twelve feet, maybe more? In any case, it wasn't sufficient. Yugi forgot all about the little fur ball floating next to her. She was unable to take her eyes off of him. He wasn't a tall man. The Pharaoh seemed much shorter than Marik. And yet he had the presence of a lion. Impossible to ignore, dangerous and imposing. His hair was defying gravity even more than her own. His skin was dark, like those of the Tomb Keepers. They had given him modern clothes to wear; dark blue pants, desert sandals, a white sleeveless shirt... If it was just for that, he may have look like a normal person. But his wrist and upper arms were circled by golden bracelets. Two thick rings decorated the pinky and ring finger of his left hand, as well as the thumb of his right. A wing-shaped earring dangled from one of his ears. The fact that all of those jewels had been polished didn't hide that they were ancient. The Millennium Puzzle hung from his neck, the Eye of Horus staring right at her, as well. All of it gave him that kingly air, proof enough that he belonged to another time. And those eyes, heaven those eyes... They struck with so much force that her heart galloped in her chest. Her entire body started shaking. But she still was unable to look away. And there was no explanation for her fear, like it was a natural reaction to have when facing this man. The light of the torches made shadows dance on his face, making it impossible to read his expression clearly. After an eternal staring contest, he finally opened his mouth again.

"It's you. Finally," he said, taking a step forward.

A quick electrical hurried throughout her body, warning her to move. But she was paralyzed. Her legs threatened to give in if she tried to move. She didn't want him to get closer. She wanted to shout at him to stay back, but her voice was under the same spell as the rest of her.

"Looks like five thousand years really didn't change you, Pharaoh."

The man stopped in his tracks, and turned around to see who had spoken to him. Yugi also looked passed him, only for her to be horror struck. Bakura stood at the entrance of the hallway, arms crossed on his chest, and a smug look on his face. Could this situation get any worse? He looked up at her.

"Hey there, half-pint. Does your arm still hurt?"

A shiver travelled down her spine, and the Pharaoh frowned at the newcomer.

"You were present at my awakening. Who are you?"

"Only someone positively ecstatic to see you."

The conversation didn't matter to Yugi, she didn't want to spend anymore time in either of their presences so now that the gaze of the Pharaoh was no longer keeping her frozen, she did the only rational thing, and dashed away. Taking random turns in the labyrinth of hallways that were the undergrounds, she ran until her legs burned enough to make her stop. Panting, she waited for her heart to calm down. At this point, she was sure to get a cardiac condition. The high pitched sound from earlier made her realize that the little fur-ball was still there with her. It was faster than what she thought if it'd managed to keep up with her. Its eyes seemed worried somehow.

'I really need to stop imagining things,' she thought, petting it to reassure it.

Which way to go now? Before she could decide, two little green arms gently grabbed a lock of her hair and pulled on it. The fur-ball then headed in one direction, waiting for her at the next turn.

'I have no idea where I am, I might as well follow it.'

She followed it through a couple more hallways, until they reached an entrance out of which a strong light was escaping from. Her little companion entered so she went in as well and surprisingly found herself in the ceremonial room. Not going to lie, being her made the shivers come back. But it was better than being with any of those people. The Millennium Items, aside from the Puzzle of course, were still in the carvings in the ground, in a circle around the crest and the alter. However, the sarcophagus had been removed. But what got her attention, was the gate behind. It was still open. Looking inside was like looking at the sun, as a brilliant light was escaping it and illuminating the room much better than simple torches.

" _For the Pharaoh to be completely whole, he needs to bathe in the spiritual energy that now flows in the undergrounds for the next two days. Until then, all the exits will remain sealed. Once the delay has passed, you will be free."_

'I guess that's why they opened this... spirit gate.'

She had to admit, it was fascinating. This light felt almost natural, and yet, so different from the sun. It was blinding too, but the color was indescribable. Without realizing, she made her way up the stairs to the platform, and walked passed the alter and the crest. She felt ignorant. How much didn't she know about the world she lived in? Kisa believed in God. Was this what she would call unearthly things? Could she learn something from this? When she was close enough, she slowly extended a hand. That light was so beautiful. How would it feel to the touch? He contemplating was brusquely interrupted by a certain fur-ball slammed into her stomach, pushing her back and nearly knocking her to the ground.

"Ow!" she let out, more out of surprise than actual pain. "What's wrong?"

The fur-ball furiously stared at her while frantically humming and flying circles around her so fast, that she almost felt dizzy.

"W-What are you doing?"

That when a low growl reached her ears, and Yugi instantly got on guard. Looking around she found nothing. Just the wind maybe? She hoped. Really, really hoped. But the growl resonated louder this time, and slowly she looked up. And her eyes widened in utter shock. A dragon. A long, snake-like, bright red dragon with two mouths was hovering just under the ceiling, fifty feet above her. She blinked once. Twice. But the creature was still there, looking at her. What the hell?! Dragons in dreams were fine, but what was that?

"A spirit?" she muttered.

Then, suddenly, it started descending. That spooked her and she backed off a little too quickly and missed the edge of the ceremonial platform. She landed heavily on her backside, but was too panicked to pay any mind to the pain that shot through her body. The dragon's head was now where she'd been standing a minute ago, while the rest of it floated above. An old sensation came back. One from back when she was terrified of a certain someone. Like prey facing predator. This thing could eat her in one bite. Slowly, very slowly she got back to her feet and glanced at the nearest exit. There was no chance she could make it in time. Did she really just survive all of this to be eaten alive by a dragon? As if it read her mind, it growled again, louder. She jumped and backed up quickly until she hit something.

"Don't move," ordered a voice.

 _The_ voice. That voice that when commanding, could not be disobeyed. She wanted to get away and fast, but if she took a step forward, she'd be getting closer to the monster. Trapped like at rat, her back against his chest. An arm wrapped around her shoulders, making her hold her breath. What was he doing?

"Slifer," he called out. "Come."

The giant creature immediately responded to the command and approach closer to them. Was the Pharaoh... ordering that monster around? She unintentionally let out a gasp when the dragon was only a few inches from her. Holy, that head was bigger than her! To her horror, with his free hand, the man grabbed her wrist, and extended her arm towards the beast.

"N-No, don't!"

"Don't be afraid," he replied. "He will not harm you."

A second later, her hand made contact with the scaly muzzle. By then, her heart was going faster that a cheetah. But the giant creature closed it's eyes and nuzzled closer. Just like her little fur-ball had. Still, this one was much more impressive, size wise. Try picturing a huge shark acting like a puppy. Even Kaiba would freak out.

"He's fond of you. It's unsurprising. Pure souls have always attracted powerful spirits."

The voice was just as imposing as ever, but the words were so gentle. This was so confusing. The dragon then pulled back and looked above her, at the Pharaoh.

"Go, my friend. We'll meet again soon."

As if he understood his words, Slifer nodded and then looked at her again. Before he disappeared into thin air right before their eyes.

"What... just happened?" she muttered, still under the shock.

"My full strength hasn't returned yet," explained the Pharaoh. "It tires me to maintain him here for too long."

He then pulled her hand back, and observed her wrist. A long silence fell in the room. She could feel herself shaking against him. Maybe it was just her, but she felt his grip on her shoulders tighten. And where their skin touched, it burned.

"Your wound is completely healed." He sounded relieved. "That's good."

"P-Please, let me go," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Will you run away again if I do?"

That was it, she couldn't take this closeness. So she did the only thing she could think of and bit his arm. It was pretty pathetic, because he didn't even let out a sound. But he let her go and took a step back. Hesitantly, she turned around. Now that they were this close, she realized that he was still a head taller than her. She held her breath as he observed the tiny bite mark on his skin. She got ready to run for it, until his eyes met hers, freezing her again.

"Biting the Pharaoh," he stated, a small smirk stretching across his face. "Some have lost their heads for much less."

"I'm...I'm sorry."

'Why am I apologizing?! Kaiba would kill me if he saw me now.'

His smile vanished at her answer and an air of frustration appeared in his eyes.

"You truly are afraid of me."

He started walking towards her, making her insides tighten even more. But a floating fur-ball that had been quiet this whole time, suddenly flew up to his face, humming like a furious bee and frowning at him. He seemed surprised at first but then he started laughing.

"Now here is a face I haven't seen in a long time. It's good to see you, Kuriboh."

Instantly, the little creature seemed excited again, and quickly flew back towards Yugi to push her forward to her great discomfort.

"Your kindred spirit seems very proud to have found you."

"Kindred spirit?"

"Spirits have affinities with certain people. And sometimes, they decide to watch over them. Slifer that you just saw, is one of mine. However, most of the time, it's impossible for normal people to see them."

She looked at the little creature who landed on her shoulder. So her fur-ball was like a guardian angel? A strange feeling tickled her heart. Somehow, she felt a little grateful.

"Yugi," called out the Pharaoh, getting her attention back. "May I come closer?"

It was suppose to be a question but it sounded hell of a lot like a demand. Sure enough, he resumed his walk towards her and closed the gap between them. Kings weren't denied things after all. It was too late for her to think of running. So she only looked down to avoid meeting his eyes. He could've reached for her but he didn't.

"Why are you afraid?" he asked.

Pushing these words out of her mouth took all her will. "Y-You're the voice, right? From the Puzzle. Everything that's happened to me... To my friends... It was because of you... I almost died. My grandfather and my friends got hurt. Joey might be gone. All of this, just to bring you back. I don't understand..."

"Right now, I am incomplete. A lot of my memories are still missing. I cannot provide you with the right answers."

So even he, the center of this entire mess didn't know anything? There really was no end to this nightmare.

"But I know this; for far too long, I wandered in the darkness, trapped. Alone, with no light and no one. And then, there was light and a voice. I couldn't believe it. After five thousand years, someone was putting the Millennium Puzzle back together."

That made her look up. What was he getting at?

"You saved me, Yugi. Twice now, you've revived me. Once by assembling the Puzzle and a second time by giving me your blood."

"I didn't give you anything!" she shouted. "The Tomb Keepers took it from me. I didn't want to do this."

"I know. Nonetheless, you freed me. Your life is now my treasure. And I will die a thousand times over before anyone lays a hand on you again."

She stared at him in utter shock. It wasn't possible. It just wasn't! How could the source of all of her pain be offering to protect her? She didn't believe it. She couldn't allow herself to. Because if she did and it turned out to be a lie... she could break for good.

"If you really mean that...about protecting me," she said, hesitantly, "can you help me get home?"

"Once my full strength has returned, I will grant your wish."

She sighed. So she was still going to have to wait two days. It didn't change much.

"There is doubt in your eyes," he said, as if he was reading her mind. "You do not need to believe me. But you don't have to. All you have to do is watch. Is this an acceptable deal?"

His words were true, his tone left no room for 'maybes'. Her optimistic instincts had been practically destroyed ever since she was swept into all of this. And yet... he seemed to be able to awaken them 's when the words of the white dragon came to mind.

 _The Pharaoh is your ally. He will protect you with his life._

"It was right..." she muttered.

"It?"

"Hum, I had a dream. About a white dragon. It told me that you were my ally. I know it sounds weird..."

"Kisara," he said, smiling. "I asked her to watch over you. I wonder where she has gone to."

"It, I mean, she's a spirit?"

He nodded. "A very powerful one. She's also a very close friend, and a loyal subject. I knew no one wiser and kinder than her in my time."

"How many kindred spirits do you have?"

He laughed. "Kisara is not my kindred spirit. She was my cousin's. But to answer your question, I have three, one of which you've already met."

"Are they all as big?"

The Pharaoh smirked at her. "You seem quite interested."

Her cheeks reddened at the remark. When had their conversation drifted into a casual chat?

"I-I just... I don't know how I'm suppose to react to all of this. Even if you coming back was a necessity, does that mean that everything that's happened to me was justified?"

"Of course not," he replied, almost angrily. "A life is not something that should be toyed with, no matter who's it is. The fact that I've benefited from your pain makes me sick. I can only thank Heaven that you survived."

He really seemed to genuinely care about her. It was strange and yet, welcomed. Every time he spoke, his words crushed her doubt little by little. This man was, well, kingly.

"I will ask you again." He took the last step that separated them and placed his large hands on each side of her face. "Whatever it is, let me grant your wish, Yugi."

* * *

Ishizu, still fully dressed, stood in the sacred pool. The priestess of the Tomb Keepers washed her face in the divine water one more time. As expected, she saw nothing. The past was empty. It was much more difficult without her Necklace. So she tapped into the present instead. Unpredictable storms and earthquakes were shaking all of Egypt and it's neighboring countries now. He was coming. He was coming and he would destroy everything. If by rotten chance, he showed up before the Pharaoh regained his full strength, then it all would've been for nothing! The whole world would pay, humanity would die and their last act on this world would've been to torture an innocent girl and bring back the Pharaoh only for him to die again. Tears streamed down her face.

"Ishizu?" exclaimed Marik, who'd just walked in. "What is it, sister? Bad news?"

The priestess quickly wiped her cheeks. "It's nothing."

"You wouldn't be crying if it was nothing," insisted her brother, holding out his hands to help her out. "Speak to me."

"I cannot see anything anymore, Marik. I'm no longer the priestess of the Tomb Keepers, and the heir of Isis."

"Our duty does not end until the darkness is banished, sister. Visions or not, you are the only true heir of Isis."

"And yet I've done such things."

"We did what we had to to bring the Pharaoh back, as stated by the prophecies. As the last Tomb Keepers, we will see it through."

Not wanting to dwell on the subject, Ishizu changed the conversation. "Where is Odion?"

"Tailing Bakura. He's been sneaking around the passageways under the temple lately. I'm surprised he hasn't asked for the items yet. And he spoke with the Pharaoh this morning."

Worry marked her face. "What about?"

"You'll have to ask Odion. I will go get him. You really should rest Ishizu. The ceremony is over now, you are aloud to sleep. Do not worry about the Thief King. I will keep an eye on him and on the Pharaoh."

"I suppose you're right. I'll leave it to you then."

But when her brother left the room, the priestess only stared sadly at her own reflection in the water.

'Forgive me for deceiving you, brother. But the ceremony has only just begun.' Her thoughts went to the girl they'd sacrificed. "I'm so sorry, Yugi."

* * *

 **O.O Did someone think this was all going too smoothly to be true? You were right! Now, who wants to see what the dweeb patrol is up to?**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	23. Pact of pain

**Hey guys! I'm back, I hope you're all doing awesome! Sorry for the tardiness again, but I have a nasty bug called adult responsibilities. It's been annoying me for a while. If only there was a cure. Sigh. Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

"So, let me go over this one more time," said Tristan, still unable to digest what they'd been told. "You're Kisa... from another time."

"Yes," calmly replied the girl.

"So, she's like your reincarnation, or something?"

"In a way, yes. But we are still two separate beings. Her being my heir means she's connected to me by spiritual ties. Our souls are in perfect harmony. That's why I am easily able to take over her body."

"Can all the dead do that?" asked Joey, feeling slightly nauseous. Ghosts really weren't his thing.

"Worry not, Joey Wheeler," she reassured. "I am one of a kind and it's not in my plans to haunt you."

"Enough with the useless chit-chat already," growled Kaiba. "Did you dweebs forget why we're here in the first place? You, stop wasting our time and take us to Yugi."

"She is in no danger, Seto."

"I'll believe that when I see her with my own eyes."

She smiled again. "I knew you'd say that. Follow me."

The strange being who'd taken over their friend's body led them to the stairs, and then to the underground parking lot of the hotel. There, a security guard started speaking to them in arabic, evidently telling them that it was too dangerous to attempt to go out, even with a car. But Kisara walked up to him, gently touched his cheek and whispered something in his ear. Seconds later, the man returned to his post, as if nothing had happened. The muscles in Kaiba's jaw tightened. It reminded him of the footage of the security cameras of Domino Airport. Handers had executed Marik's order automatically like a robot. It resembled the same process. He realized what she'd asked the guard to do, when one of the garage doors leading outside opened. But as soon as it was, a strong wind invaded the inside, so strongly that they all had to take a step back to avoid falling. But Kisara, though the wind didn't spare her hair, walked over to the entrance and gazed at the sky. The lightening storm was even more violent than before, and there wasn't a drop of rain. The temperature was so suffocating, that the wind felt like a giant hair dryer was blowing in their faces. The ghost possessing the class rep's body stared at the sky without moving for a moment, an air of disconcert on her face.

"What is it?" asked Kaiba, loud enough to cover the wind's noise.

"This is worse than I thought," she replied, turning back to them and bringing her hands up to look at them. "I forgot how fragile the human body is. This is how easily I died."

"You mean the storm?" said Tristan. "We'll be fine if we stay in a car, won't we?"

She shook her head. "You'd be safe from the lightening. But the wind and the earthquakes are another story. This storm is not natural. It'll grow more and more. It's already far too dangerous for anyone to step out."

"Wait," said Tea, struck with bitter realization. "So we know where Yugi is, but we can't get there? And we won't be able to until that storm leaves, but you're saying it's only getting worse?"

"I'm sorry. The Valley of Kings is deep in the desert, it takes about nine hours to get there by car. I had not anticipated this. It was foolish of me. All you can do is wait."

Kaiba's fist clenched so hard, he could've shattered the bones of his fingers. Wait? Who was she kidding? They'd waited long enough for God's sake. In a few quick strides, the young billionaire was in her face, throwing her a murderous glare.

"Don't give me that crap," he growled. "I don't know what you are, and I don't care. Ghost, spirit, heir, monster... call yourself whatever you want. But you didn't just appear out of thin air. You came here one way or another from that Valley of King, where you saw Yugi. How?"

She wasn't surprised in the least, but she looked at him saddly. A sadness that somehow made something in his chest tightened. "I'm a spirit, Seto. I travelled here through the spirit world, and found you so easily because Kisa was praying. It's true that it would take me only a few minutes to return to the Valley. But you cannot take this path."

Anger spiked in his system, and this time, he grabbed her by the collar. "I don't give a rat's ass about your sacred traditions or whatever it is that you call this."

"It has nothing to do with traditions or ancient history," replied Kisara, as calm as before. "Living bodies cannot sustain in the spirit world. I'm the only one that can."

"Yeah? How so?" he taunted.

This was all bullshit. There had to be a way to get there. That storm couldn't keep them trapped more than this. He didn't have time for this! But again, she only looked at him sadly, eyes on the verge of tears.

"I told you before, I'm one of a kind. While I lived, I was as much human as I was spirit. No one else could do this. No one else can. And if you try to brave this storm, you will die."

"That's crap," snapped back the CEO.

She let out a sighed and placed on the one that gripped her collar. It surprised even him that he let go, and wondered for a moment if she was controlling him like she did the security guard. But she only held his hand gently.

"It is not the storm that you should fear. Tell me Seto, what do you see when you look at the sky?"

She pointed towards the dark clouds that made the night even darker than usual. And lightening struck the roofs of tall buildings, giving an ominous air to their world.

"A pain in the ass of a storm. Why is that in any way..."

Before he could finish his sentence, she covered his eyes with her hand. A strange sensation travelled like a shiver through his body, but it was warm. He raised his hand to slap hers away but she took it back.

"Now, what do you see?"

"What do you think you're..."

But an instant later, his eyes widened in shock. In the sky... no. Not just in the sky. There were animal like creatures. Only the types of things you saw in movies, or children's book. They were everywhere. In the sky, in the street, on the buildings around. For the first time in a long time, his mind went blank. He didn't know how to process this? This was a trick. This had to be hypnosis or something.

"Kaiba?" Joey placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him a little. "Ya alright?"

Ignoring him, he turned back to Kisara and snatched her wrist. "What the hell did you do to me?!"

"I infused you with some of my spiritual energy. You're now able to see what is normally invisible to normal people's eyes. What you see are malevolent spirits. Attracted by the fear and anguish of the people, caused by this storm."

"You're telling me I see specters? Don't screw with me!"

"Spirits are not the souls of the dead." As she explained, she again gently touched his wrist and he let go almost immediately. She walked to the others and also covered their eyes. "They are as alive as you."

"Holy shit," let out Tea.

"They attack souls at their weakest," continued Kisara. "This is nothing new, but the darkness is giving them more and more freedom. At this rate, the whole world is probably plagued already. Just like back then."

They all stayed quiet, unable to let out a sound while staring at the strange creatures moving around. Some looked like bugs, some like birds, others predators, and some even had humanoid forms. Kisara's voice pulled them out of their daze.

"This is why I cannot let you brave this storm. Your nervousness can be smelled from miles away. They would not hesitate."

"What the hell is causing something like this?" asked Tristan. "You're not telling us that these things are always stalking people like this, are you?"

"No. Normally, benevolent spirits act as guardian angels, you could say. The darkness is causing this."

"That's the second time you've said that," said Tea. "What is the darkness?"

"No one cares, Gardner! None of that matters."

Kaiba'd had enough. Enough of these games. Enough of being yanked around by pointless chatter and illusions. All of this was a distraction. A distraction from his objective. Yugi was still gone, and now that he knew that she was alive, nothing more mattered. These mind games had to be discarded. But he also needed to cool his head if he was going to get what he wanted. He wasn't good at acting like a hot-head. He'd leave that to the mutt. They were all looking at him, struck dumb. Not surprising, he hadn't shouted it like that in a while. But he looked at the girl with white hair. She still had those sad eyes.

"I understand your pain, Seto. But I cannot put you in danger like this. I refuse."

Deep breaths. He stayed quiet and took her in. If he assumed for a moment everything she said was true, then she somehow was attached to a past version of himself. Which was ridiculous enough. That aside, she seemed to have changed in the short time they'd met. When she'd woken them up, she was set on taking them to Yugi. Clearly happy about it. But her attitude had changed when she saw the storm and the monsters. And if she was anything like his Kisa, then she'd do anything to keep her friends safe.

He faced her completely, and crossed his arms on his chest. "Allow me to remind you of something, spirit. I have no idea who you are. And like I always say, enemy until proven differently. I have no obligation to listen to you. However, if you are as set on keeping me safe as Kisa is, then you're lying to me right now. And I'm a hundred percent sure you know another way to get there, avoiding both those monsters and that storm."

For the first time, surprise struck her face, and they all noticed. It was obvious. Kisa was a terrible liar, even worse than Yugi. She never did. So even attempting it was difficult for her. That was why she remained frozen. Even Joey frowned.

"Does that mean ya were lyin' about Yugi bein' safe too?"

"..."

"If ya know somethin', ya have to tell us. We're gettin' her back. No matter what it takes."

A single tear dripped down her cheek, and she shook her head. "I'm sorry. Yugi is much safer where she is now, than you will be if I show you the way. I can't."

"I guess I'll have to be persuasive then."

Two could play at this game, and if Kaiba was good at one thing, it was playing.

"Wheeler," he called out, never taking his eyes off the white-haired girl. "Hand over your knife."

Joey looked at him surprised for a moment, before frowning suspiciously. "Care to share what the hell's goin' on through yar head, moneybags?"

"Trust me mutt. You're going to enjoy this."

He hesitated some more, but eventually reached into his pocket and tossed him a military styled switch blade. Assuming that he had one was correct after all. Catching the blade he flipped it open, and pulled up his sleeve.

"Kaiba, what are you..." began Tristan.

He didn't have time to finish. The billionaire slashed the blade across his wrist. The cut wasn't deep but it was unbelievably painful for such a small wound. Shit. It hurt more than he'd anticipated. He couldn't help the contraction of his face muscles, showing what he felt.

"What are you..." let out Kisara.

"Kaiba, what the hell!"

He shunned the mutt. All that mattered was her. Her face was even paler than before, and her eyes showed fear and horror. Bull's eye. Come on, one more time. He repeated his move, marking his skin a second time. Pain shot through his arm again.

"STOP!" shouted the spirit. "What are you doing, Seto?!"

"I don't know why you care so much, and I really don't care. I only have one goal, and if this is what I have to keep doing to get there, then so be it."

"You can't do this!"

"Guess again."

"Ya're actin' nuts, ya crazy bastard!" Joey rushed to him and grabbed his arm and wrist holding the knife. "What's gotten into ya?!"

Not wanting to waste even a second, Kaiba sent his knee in Joey's stomach. The blond fell to the ground catching his breath.

"Stay out of this, mutt! This is how I get to Yugi, and I won't have anything block my way. Not you, and not a washed up wannabe specter." Again, he slashed, and he clenched his teeth, unable to prevent a growl of pain. "So, Kisara. What's it going to be?"

She was shaking from head to toe. An endless stream of tears were leaking out of her eyes and down her face. Her body seemed paralyzed in horror. "I-I can't... you could die!"

A smirk of cockiness made it passed the pain, and to his face. "You obviously haven't met me if you assume that."

The blade slashed again. This time the pain was too much, and he couldn't help a cry of pain. But he wasn't done yet. He'd lose his arm before he'd concede defeat.

"Seto, please! I'm begging you!" she cried out, as if she'd been the one he'd cut. "Don't do this to yourself! There's no point!"

"Decide quick, specter," he only replied, throwing her a death glare. "Because next, I'm starting to cut fingers."

"Kaiba, this is crazy!" shouted Tea.

"Get yourself together, man! This is not worth it!" Added Tristan.

He ignored them. If he thought the pain before was bad, then this was going to be a hundred times worst. He'd taken gambles before. Each could've costed him everything. This time was no different. The only change, was using himself as collateral.

"Well, spirit? What do you say?"

"Please, no..."

"Have it your way."

"Don't make me do this, please! I don't want you to be hurt!"

"Time's up."

Leaning his hand on the wall next to him, he raised the knife again.

"NO!"

Her cry tore through the whole parking lot, and something tightened in his chest. But once more, he ignored it. He looked at his hand, taking a a quarter of a second to adjust his hand-eye coordination. He wasn't aloud to miss.

"Kaiba!"

His hand froze just before the blade reached his the base of his pinky. It was still her voice. But she'd called him Kaiba. She was different. She was smiling, reassuring. Her cheeks were still wet and red from the crying. But she wasn't the one who'd shed them. At a tranquil pace, she walked over to him.

"Kisa?"

She nodded. "It's okay, put the knife away. We're going. Are you alright, Joey?"

The blond growled standing back up slowly. "I think I broke a rib. If ya're the class rep, where'd Kisara go?"

A screech like sound, made the five of them look up and freeze. A dragon. There was a dragon floating above them. Slowly it landed in front of them. The noise it let out almost made it sound like it was crying.

"Please you guys, tell me you're seeing a dragon too." said Tristan.

Kaiba was already searching for a way to avoid being eaten, but Kisa approached closer to the giant creature.

"Thank you for telling us about Yugi. And thank you for wanting to protect Kaiba. But it's not your duty to do this. I saw your memories while you were possessing me. You died protecting Priest Seth, didn't you?"

The dragon's eyes saddened, like it understood her.

"Kaiba is not Seth. He's not yours to protect." She paused briefly. "He's mine."

Surprise struck everyone, including the white dragon. Kaiba as usual remained unfazed, but it still made him wonder. Kisa was doing this because she had a plan to get Kisara to show them how they could reach the Valley of Kings. That's why she'd said they were going.

"Uuuuuh, Kisa?" said Tristan, raising an eyebrow. "What are you talking abou... OW!"

"Shut up, ya idiot," whispered Joey, after having stomped on his friend's foot. "It's working."

Kisa and the dragon didn't break eye contact, and so the class rep continued. "I sensed your fear too. You hate seeing Seth in pain. But he can't be in pain anymore. He's passed on."

"But I have not. I am still here after five thousand years, and unable to pass on. That means destiny still has plan for me. And in front of me appears the heir of my loved one."

"I'm here too and I'm your heir, aren't I? So why don't you have a little faith in me, and let me watch over him? I promise. I'll protect him with my life if I have to. Just like you did, back then. So please. Tell us how we can find Yugi."

The dragon stared at her for a long moment, before closing her eyes.

"The path you can take, is called the Fools Trial. It can only be described as hell itself. T'is in a parallel dimension and it's purpose it to devour every living thing that dares enter. Not only can you die, but no one who's survived it has retained sanity. You'll be walking straight into a nightmare. It was originally a trap designed by priests for fools who attempted to gain the powers of Gods. Knowing that, how can you still wish to go?"

"I'm doin' it," said Joey, loud and clear. "Whatever gets me to Yugi."

"Like I said, we've wasted enough time," said Kaiba. "Show us the way, already."

Kisa smiled at the dragon. "Maybe the reason you stayed was to take us there."

"I understand now, why you are so precious to her."

"You mean Yugi?"

"Her wish was to see all of you. But it seems that I will not be the one to grant it, after all."

The giant white head nodded, and suddenly the dragon began shrinking to a smaller shape. Once the steam dissipated, another Kisa was standing in front of them. Only that one had loose hair and a pure white dress, seemingly from ancient times.

"Then, I will guide you to the Shadow Realm."

* * *

 **I'm sorry, did you think there was going to be no shadow realm? Oops! Hey to be fair, I promised more trouble!**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	24. Cold blackout

***Sigh* You know what guys? I was thinking of moving my posting day to Tuesday, but I just realize that doing that only makes me post even later. So you know what? Let's stick with Monday updates with me being late. It's better than making you lot wait 48 hours extra. Anyways,**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"I swear it, Yugi," he said, his hands still holding her face as if to make sure she wouldn't look away. "When my strength returns, any wish you have will be granted. So saith this Pharaoh."

His tone and expression left no room for doubt, and his words were free of lie and ulterior motive. It just sounded impossible. This was overwhelming. But everything around her had been anything but casual as of late. "I-I just want to go home. I don't need anything."

He smiled at her, as if he expected that answer. "I should not be surprised. You're not demanding."

He took his hands back and a shiver shook her while cheeks remained red. He was warmer than he appeared, she almost missed the contact.

"Hum, what should I call you?"

"Pardon?"

"I-I don't know what your name is," she said, embarrassed. "Or maybe you just want to be called your majesty, or something like that..."

He'd been dead for five thousand years, perhaps he still thought of himself as the ruler of this kingdom, and the last thing she wanted was to cross him. Even though he'd clearly showed her a kind attitude up until now. But he simply laughed at her comment.

"I am the one indebted to you. If anything, I should call you Mistress."

Her cheeks flamed up even more. "Please don't."

"Unfortunately, my memories have not yet revealed my name to me. You may call me whatever you wish."

"But it should be your choice," she insisted.

"And so it is, that you name me."

Darn, he was putting her in an uncomfortable position. She wondered if that was on purpose. Then she remembered how Ishizu and the others referred to him. "How about... just Pharaoh?"

Thankfully, he smiled. "Yes, that sounds fitting."

She hesitated before speaking again. "Pharaoh? Ishizu told me that you had to be brought back to seal away something. She calls it the darkness. What is it exactly?"

She was half-expecting him to say he did not remember that either, but his smile faded and he closed his eyes for a moment, fists clenched. No, he had a clear idea of what it was. For a moment she thought of apologizing for asking, but stopped herself. If she deserved anything, it was an honest explanation as to why the hell she'd gone through all of this. With a sign of the head, he then pointed in one direction.

"Walk with me."

She followed him out to the exit, where he grabbed a torch before stepping out into the dark hallway. She still had no landmarks so she just tagged along. Soon, they ended up in the hallway where she'd seen the carvings of the White Dragon and the person that looked like Kaiba. He took her further and stopped in front of other carvings of people and spirits.

"These are the people of my council, those who fought by my side to end the era of darkness. They were the first thing I remembered when I woke. They were wise, powerful and above all loyal. All of them died fighting for Egypt."

Yugi's heart tightened in her chest. This man had lost all of his friends at once. "Everyone?"

"High Priest Seth was the only one to survive, thanks to Kisara's sacrifice."

"What attacked... I mean, what killed you?"

His eyes narrowed, and the shadows dancing on his face thanks to the light of the fire. Pain was as flagrant as daylight in those ruby irises. "A monster."

"A spirit?"

"He was much more than a malevolent spirit. He was there at the end of my father's reign as well, and it took years and the slaughter of many people for us to figure out that it was using puppets, be they spirit or humans."

"You've never actually seen him?"

"Through his victims. The great criminals of my time were in fact all his mind slaves. They were slain, but he always found another poor soul to hang on to and come back. He is referred to as the darkness because he has no form and hides in the shadows, corrupting humans and devouring other spirits."

"How did you... lock him away the first time?"

He just shook his head. So he didn't remember that either. And Ishizu had said that her visions were unclear now, so she probably couldn't help.

"I do know that without a physical form to latch on to, he's not capable of much. But he was indestructible. The only way to stop him was to confine him somewhere."

Ishizu's visions said that the darkness would return and wreck havoc. That means that first off, someone had to free the spirit one way or another. Then, he needed someone or a spirit to possess.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just guard the place where he is and keep anyone from getting to him?"

"Keeping humans away is easy, but spirits are another story. It's impossible to control their movements. Besides, no one knows where he was sealed. I might remember once I'm whole again."

Yugi looked at the carvings. Everyone of the people were represented carrying one of the Millennium items. Those things seemed a whole lot more terrifying now than they did before. These people had died to save their country from an invisible threat. It really wounded like something out of a fantasy movie. Her eyes suddenly fell on the carving of a woman with the Millennium Necklace.

"This looks a lot like Ishizu..."

Another amused smile appeared on the Pharaoh's face. "That's because it is her."

"Oh, okay." Her brain short-circuited for a moment, before she looked at him with wide eyes. "Wait, what?!"

He laughed at her reaction. "This is Isis, the seer of my council. Ishizu is her heir."

"Like her descendant?"

"Not exactly. Heirs inherit part of their predecessor's soul. They usually resemble them a lot in heart and personality. When I first awoke, I thought I'd found my old friend."

"That's crazy... Hold on, the craving next to Kisara's. Who is that?"

"High Priest Seth, my cousin."

So Kaiba could be the heir of an ancient Egyptian priest? At the service of a Pharaoh? Doing the bidding of another human being? Just picturing his blank face if he ever heard that, made her snort. She didn't notice notice the Pharaoh staring at her.

"Is something amusing?"

"I just... I was thinking of one of my friends. He looks a lot like your cousin. But he's really not one to follow anyone else's orders."

"Seth was a very stubborn human being," admitted the ancient king. "He could be very extreme in his way of doing things, but it was always with the good of our kingdom on his mind."

It sounded like Kaiba alright. She snorted again when her imagination presented her with that blank face of his, again.

"In any case, it's good to see you finally smiling."

The remark made her pause and think. When was the last time she'd laughed? Not since her grandfather was attacked, for sure. But it did feel good to laugh, even if it was at something ridiculous. Maybe she was finally processing the fact that the Pharaoh was her ally, and that she was going to be out of here soon. But that realization also made her remember that her grandfather was still in the hospital. And that she still didn't know where Joey was. Oh. It was at the gypsy gathering that she last smiled. When she'd danced with Joey. Feeling her eye watering, she quickly passed her hand on it. Of course, not quick enough for him not to notice.

"You're still in pain."

"I...I just miss my friend. A lot."

He kept quiet for a moment, and looked at the carvings again. "I understand that feeling."

"I didn't mean..."

"You have nothing to apologize for. My friends are long gone, but not yours." He faced her completely. "And I will return you to them, as I've promised."

She couldn't help but smile at him. However, over the top he seemed, the lack of lies in his person was unbelievably relieving.

"You know, you're doing a pretty good job at being a friend to me."

He frowned at her. "Addressing the Pharaoh in such a familiar way. You are more impertinent than I initially thought, little one."

Shoot. Had she overstepped her boundaries? To an all powerful ruler, maybe it might have sounded out of turn. What did she know about that sort of thing?

"Sorry! I didn't mean to offend you..." She stopped when she saw how pleased with himself he looked. "You're mocking me, aren't you?"

"You're quite amusing to tease. But if I'm being completely truthful, I've only been spoken to like that by one person. It's refreshing."

Why did everyone she meet felt like they could mess with her? She was about to retort something, when everything around them started shaking violently. Yugi held her breath, looking up at the ceiling, fearing it might fall. But the shaking stopped after a few seconds.

"Another one?" she said, remembering the first earthquake. "It's stronger than the first one..."

"This is the fifth one. There were three while you were resting," explained the ancient king, frowning. "I will go speak with Ishizu."

Yugi raised an eyebrow, while reassuringly petting her little furry companion. "Why would you need to speak with her about an earthquake?"

"There is nothing natural about this shaking. It's him. No doubt the sky is covered in black clouds. That was how it was whenever he showed up. His very presence poisoned the very air my people breathed. I will go find Ishizu."

He turned around an started walking further into the darkness of the hallway. A shiver of discomfort shot through her body, and almost immediately, she called out to stop him.

"Can I go with you?" she quickly asked. "I don't know my way around. And... I don't want to stay alone."

He turned around, an air of surprise about him before smiling, and extending a hand towards her. "The way ahead is a lot more narrow, you'll have to mind your steps."

Relieved, she took a step forward to grab his hand, but her movement was interrupted when she suddenly lost her sense of balance, and hit the wall with her shoulder. As second later, a strong dizziness assaulted her brain and her eyes twitched, misshaping her vision.

"Are you alright?"

"I-I can't see..."

Feeling herself getting heavier, she fell to her knees, tearing her skin. Goosebumps appeared all over her skin and she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Yugi!" shouted the Pharaoh, dropping his torch and catching her by the arms. "What's wrong? Are you ill?"

Her teeth chattered when she answered. "Why is it so cold in here?"

"You're cold?" he asked, with a tone that clearly betrayed more than simple surprise.

But she wasn't lying. His hands on her felt like fire, generating more shivers from her. It didn't help when he brought his hand up to touch her forehead. It felt like a a bar of hot iron was pressing against her skin, almost painful in contrast with the cold she was feeling. She realized the heavy breathing was her own, and drops of cold sweat dripped down her neck. What was happening to her this time? It felt like that time when she'd woken up, her blood stream polluted with drugs.

"I can't believe this, you're freezing. It was foolish to let you get up so soon after the ceremony," he reproached to the absent Tomb Keepers. Quickly, he gathered her body near him and pulled her into his arms. "You have to rest some more."

She only answered with a weak whimper, unable to register the fact that he was carrying her like a bride. Her head got heavier by the second, and shortly after he'd started walking, she slipped out of consciousness.

* * *

"Finally, I managed to shake off my shadow."

The white-haired boy descended down the stairs leading to the antechamber of hell itself. By that, he meant that if people could go any deeper into the ground, they'd probably encounter the devil. That monster really was smart. Just before being sealed, he'd managed to take crucial memories from the Pharaoh's mind, including the place where he'd put him. Right under the noses of the Tomb Keepers, under the underground temple, in a satanic shrine where cultists used to worship malevolent spirits and feed them human souls. Those idiots didn't even know that there was a hidden door right at their entrance. Fools the Ishtar were, but that had proven to be an advantage for the wandering soul. Despite how old he was, Bakura never forgot about his time. Back when he had his own body. Back when he witnessed the slaughter of his people for the creation of those cursed items. But finally, after five thousand years of walking this earth in borrowed bodies, of endless search for the items, of spilling blood, the time of revenge was almost upon them. A grin stretched across his face. Oh yes, this was going to be sweet and he was going to enjoy every minute of it. The Nameless Pharaoh was going to writhe at his feet, screaming in agony. Just the thought made him lick his lips impatiently. Finally, he reached the bottom of the stairs. The room itself wasn't very big, but in the middle of it, there was a large round shaped stone on which was carved an octopus like creature with the Eye of Horus above it's eyes. But unlike last time, there were cracks in it. After a few seconds of silence, he put down the torch and pulled his knife out of his black vest. His knife still covered in red.

 _Something smells delicious._

Sure enough, the monster smelled it before he said anything.

"Hello, monster. It's been a while."

 _Indeed, it has, Thief King. What has it been, a thousand years since your last visit? I see that you're possessing quite the young disguise. What do you go by this time?_

"That is unimportant. I have to say, Dark One, I am impressed that you've managed to eat at your prison like this so quickly."

 _A mere name cannot hold the strongest spirit of this world, ignorant human. It doesn't matter the time it takes, I will break free. Thanks to a few cracks, my presence is already spreading throughout Egypt and beyond. Spirits are turning to my side as we speak._

"The lucky cracks you speak of, is just the spirit gate being opened. Need I remind you that that name has held you for five thousand years? Besides, I disagree with you. I think you might want to reconsider the timing. After all, the Pharaoh has been awakened."

 _What?_

"The Tomb Keepers have revived him, thinking you were to return soon. Of course, if it takes you another five thousand years to break free, you'll never get to take a shot at him."

 _Do not confuse your deluded fantasies with my desires, insolent fool. I'm not nearly as interested in the Pharaoh as I am in the rest of human kind. That king is old bait for the lord of shadows._

"I hear you. But I need your power if I want my plan to succeed. How about a deal? In exchange for lending me your shadows for a bit, I'll free you now and you can do whatever the hell you please with the rest of the world, for all I care. Besides, you can't do anything without a host. Trust me, you get the better end of that bargain."

 _What makes you think I want your damaged, decaying soul? You think highly of yourself, Thief King._

"Better than nothing, I say. Besides, I believe I have a little treat with me that should peek your interest."

 _That smell from before, what is it?_

The smirk on Bakura's face widened. He had him now. His research had proven useful. Malevolent spirits prey on ethically weak souls, because they were easier to corrupt. But the Dark One was different. All the greatest criminal of their time had at one point been the most loyal and earnest people in their land. Respected generals, scientists, doctors... all strong and stunning souls turned to absolute ash by him and turned into his puppets to wreak havoc on their land. That's what he liked. A challenge. A challenge to bring down the most unsullied souls. Bakura brought up his knife and inserted it into one of the cracks.

 _What is this? I've never tasted such purity in my entire existence. It cannot be real. No human possesses a soul that pure. What tricks have you used on me, mortal?_

"I assure you, it's quite real. It's the same blood they used to bring back the Pharaoh. I should know, I was there to deliver it."

 _You mean the bearer has survived the ceremony?_

"Better yet, she's here in the undergrounds just above us. Are you interested? Take the deal, and she's yours."

 _I'd be a fool not to sink my teeth in that. But I think I'll go for a little visit before._

"I thought you were still trapped."

 _The spirit gate is opened, you said so yourself. That means I can reach dreaming and meditating souls quite easily, as long as they're nearby._

'So that's why the priestess's visions are blinded,' thought Bakura.

 _Depending on what I find out, you might just have gotten yourself a deal, Thief King._

The white-haired boy scoffed and crossed his arms, confidently. "I guarantee you will come back here, begging me to give you an early release from your prison."

 _Do not get cocky, Akefia! Remember who you are addressing. I have yet to make up my mind._

'Take your time, monster. I've already won.'

The stone said no more. He must've gone haunting already. Impatient bastard. That thing was worse than him, he couldn't believe that the Dark One had once been human. Maybe that's what made him so dangerous. He sat on the stairs and rubbed his face. He'd have to go back up soon to retrieve the items and make sure the Tomb Keepers didn't start being nosy. Should he kill them before all of this? Maybe. It'd be easier. And what was three more kills? An image of the tricolor-haired girl under his knife flashed in his mind. The only innocent one in the whole picture. She was innocent, just like the people of his village, slaughtered for a selfish king. Another lamb to sacrifice. Tch. What of it? There was no going back. Not after all of his efforts to make it happen. In a little more than a day, everything would be over. For him, for her and for himself.

* * *

 **More trouble I promised, and more trouble comes! At least I can keep that promise. I'll let you guess what happens next. Yes, yes, I'm that evil.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	25. Mixed realities

**Ain't that amazing guys? I'm on time! Someone give me a gold star! Or a star chip. Or a locator card. Or a Millennium Item. Whatever give me something!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Tea, watch out!"

At the same time that he shouted, Tristan grabbed the brunette's arm and pulled her out of the way just before what looked like a window frame taken away by the wind could hit her in the face. They now clearly understood what the spirit had said. The storm was much worse than anticipated. Just being in the street was practically asking for death, no way they could've gone nine hours in this weather, even in a car. The wind was so strong it could make cars take off the ground. All of them were advancing with difficulty, pushing against the current, following Kisara who didn't seem affected by it in the slightest.

"We're almost there!" She shouted to cover the screams of the wind. "Keep marching along the wall!"

Kaiba's majestic white coat had also been a problem, so the billionaire had discarded it, letting the wind do with it as it pleased. The spirits around them seemed uninterested by them. Thank God for that. The museum of ancient history was only a block away from their hotel, but it felt like it took them forever to get there, pushing against the wind and avoiding getting hit by the flying debris. Finally, after twenty long minutes of the most dangerous walk of their lives, the group finally reached the doors of the museum. Of course, seeing as it was closed, their only way of getting in was through breaking a window. Once inside, all paused a moment to catch their breath and process the fact that they were still alive and kicking.

"I thought we were gonna die out there!" Tristan leaned on the wall, as if his legs were going to give in. "You're saying that it's alike this all over the country?"

"At this point, probably even more," replied the spirit.

"I have a better question," said Joey. "Why are we at the museum? I thought we were lookin' for some portal to get to another dimension or somethin'... Gotta say, though. This place is givin' me the creeps."

"What's the matter, Wheeler? Not used to the environment of culture and knowledge? I'm shocked."

"Can it, moneybags!"

"Shut up you two. This is getting old," scolded Tea, before turning back to their guide. "What now, Kisara?"

With a sign of the hand, Kisa's twin told them to follow her and explained as they walked. "As you most certainly know, this is the museum of ancient history where artifacts from older times are exposed for people to see. The only way to access the Shadow Realm is through its gate carved by the priests of the ancient religion. It used to be placed at the entrance of the great temple of Ra. The rumor was spread that anyone who could pass the Fool's Trials would be granted their wish to meet the Gods."

"Okay, I follow you so far..." said Joey. "Ya're sayin' the gate's been brought here?"

"Correct."

"How do you know all of this?" asked the billionaire, suspiciously glaring at her back. "Weren't you dead at the time?"

"Wow, and I thought Joey was tactless," said Tristan.

As usual, Kisara didn't seem offended one bit, and she let out a small laugh. She didn't come off a someone air-headed who didn't realize when someone was being a jerk to her. On the contrary, it was more like she knew exactly how to handle someone like Kaiba. It hit Tea that she and Kisa had way more in common than just their physical appearance.

"Spirits wandering the world is nothing unusual, Seto. My human body has indeed perished, but I've been full spirit for the past five thousand years. I've seen the world grow for five millennia. I know what a car is, I know who Einstein was, I can name all the countries in the world, I can even tell you how the internet works and what a democracy is. Keeping up with the modern times is as easy as breathing for us."

"But you're part human. How does that work?" asked Tea.

"That, even I couldn't tell you. I can only assume that my spirit self is keeping my soul from passing on. Destiny does things in a way that even the beings of the unseen cannot see or anticipate."

"Please," let out Kaiba, rolling his eyes. "Destiny's something you make for yourself. You make things happen with hard work and will power, that's all. Only those who don't have the guts to even try, call their condition fate."

"As long as you live, the fight goes on, right?" Kisara said, stealing the words out of his mouth. "My Seth used to say the same thing. But that didn't stop him from believing in destiny."

Tea stared at the spirit for a long moment. She dared not ask, but she'd noticed that every time she spoke about Kaiba's supposed predecessor, she referred to him as "my Seth" or "my loved one". That pretty much convinced her that they'd been more than protector and protected. Her eyes then turned to Kaiba and then to Kisa, who'd been quiet for a while. Yugi and her had always suspected that Kisa had a crush on Kaiba and was just shy about it. But after seeing how Kisara talked to him, Kisa's behavior towards the billionaire seemed to make even more sense. Also, there was what the white-haired girl had said before. That she would protect Kaiba with her life if she had to. If anyone knew what a bad liar her best friends were, it was Tea. That means Kisa was not lying when she said that. Her attachment to the young CEO was much stronger than what she'd thought, going beyond even time itself.

'But the only girl Kaiba has eyes for, is Yugi...' She paused for a moment, realizing her own thoughts. 'What the hell am I thinking?! Kaiba? In love with Yugi? No way, that's crazy! He's just a rich geek with the same unhealthy game obsession as her. That's the only reason he's hanging around her. They're just two geeks sharing a passion, that's... all.'

Darn it, she'd never thought of it that way. Now that it had crossed her mind, it was impossible to shake off. She looked at Kisa again. Kaiba was crazy manipulative when it came to Yugi. If it was for more than just games, and if Kisa really had deeper feelings for him, then... there was no good ending for her. Tristan looked at her surprised when she suddenly slapped her hands on her cheeks. This was really not the time to think about stuff like that. They had to get Yugi back first. Everything else was secondary.

'Priorities, Gardner. Priorities.'

"You alright, Tea?" asked the pointy-haired teen. "You look out of it..."

"I'm fine," she almost snapped. "Lay off."

"Easy. Why are you getting mad at me for?"

"I'm not mad at you."

"Girls 101: they never mean what they say when they're pissed." That comment earned him a punch in the shoulder. "Ow! And that just proves my point. Geez, just spill, okay?"

"Tristan. You're the only person I'm not angry at right now. Please don't give me a reason to change that."

That seemed clear enough, and both of them went back to being quiet. Soon enough, the group reached an exhibition wing where an abnormally large stone with what looked like two carved doors on it was exposed. Hieroglyphs were also imbedded in the rock, as well as images of demon-like monsters. Kaiba's first reaction was to wonder why the hell that would be useful, but she'd said something about another dimension. Which still sounded like something out of a fairy tail if anyone asked him.

Their guide touched the stone with her hand. The carvings illuminated and the gate opened, revealing...black fog. All had the reflex to pinch their noses.

"Ugh! The hell is that smell?" said Tristan.

"Corpses," answered Joey.

"The Shadow realm was created to be as foul as possible to anyone who tried entering. It's haunted by lost souls. Remember, it will use your ow fears and nightmares against you to break you." She paused briefly and turned to them, looking at the billionaire in particular. "Will you not reconsider?"

"No happening," he replied.

"Then, whatever happens, remember why you are crossing this path, and for who. Hold on to what will make you remember who you are."

"Ya ain't comin' with us, are ya?"

She shook her head. "Just like humans cannot enter the spirit world, spirits cannot cross into the Shadow Realm. There too much chance of us getting corrupted. Besides, I fear my presence is needed."

"That's one thing I wanna ask, before you leave," said Tea, stepping up. "You never actually told us why Yugi was kidnapped. Or what that darkness you keep mentioning is. It's what's responsible for everything that's happening, right?"

Of course, someone was not in the mood for more nonsense. "Not this again. It doesn't matter, Tea. The instant I get my hands on Yugi, I'm going back to Domino. You're free to play mystic mojo with the freaks if you want, but I have more important things to do."

"Hate to admit it, Tea," continued Joey. "But I agree with moneybags. Kisara's not sure that Yug's completely safe. So first things first."

The commanding tone left room for no doubt, and the brunette looked at Kisa who nodded to confirm that she also agreed with the boys. Tea just sighed, admitting defeat. But something was eating at her. She had a bad feeling about all of this. Nonetheless, the blond boy turned to the spirit.

"Sorry."

"You have every right to worry. But fair warning to you," said Kisara. "Not too long from now, the darkness will reach the temple. If you wish to get her out of the way before anything happens, you must hurry."

The group turned back towards the gate. The fog was not inviting. On the contrary. The stench was only a small part of it. Whisper like noise escaped it, and the more they stared at it, the more they wanted to step back. Joey bit his lower lip until it bled. This was the way to get to Yugi. The only and fastest way. So there was no other option. Screw the chills down his spine. Screw the sweat down his neck. He made the first step towards the gate, when a low growl made the hair of his arms stand. A shadow behind the stone moved. A giant lizard like shape slipped out from it's hiding spot and stepped into the light, freezing all of them on the spot. Another dragon. This one had black scales with what looked like ruby gemstones all along his neck back and tail. It was much bigger and threatening looking than Kisara's form.

"Greetings, Kisara," it said with a deep voice, befitting his size. "It's been ages."

"It has, Gandora," she replied, politely. But her face showed concern. "What are you doing here? You abandoned your duties as guardian of the shadow gates when they were removed from the temple."

"I smelled a pure presence here and I thought I'd check it out." He looked at Kisa and then Seth. "I see that you've found the heirs of yourself and of Seth. How unlikely. Why have you brought them here?"

"They wish to pass the Fool's trials."

"It's been millennia since anyone has tried to enter the Shadow Realm. I have to admit, I do miss the screams of the fools who tried to pass the test."

In quick serpent like movement, he brought his head a foot away from Kaiba and Kisa. Both of them remained frozen in place, staring at the monster. "So, what do you want the powers of the Gods for, humans?"

"They don't want power," answered Kisara, moving in front of them. "They wish to reach the tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh."

"A selfless goal? Now that, I haven't seen in a long, long time. Unfortunately, if that is the case, I cannot allow you to enter. You've sensed it too, haven't you Kisara? The darkness is rising again."

"What of it?"

"Don't be a fool. It means the Pharaoh, who couldn't even destroy him, couldn't even keep him locked up. There is no defeating him. Whatever the heirs you've brought are here for, they will surely interfere with the return of the Dark One."

"We don't have any intention of getting involved in your mystical mess," said Kaiba, seemingly recovered from the initial shock. "Now, get out of our way."

"Wether you are conscious of it or not, is irrelevant, human," replied the black spirit, showing his fangs. "I doubt that you'll be able to do anything against him, in any case. But if I show loyalty by keeping you nuisances out of his way, I may be spared and given a reward, afterwards."

Horror struck Kisara's face, and her eyes widened showing her disbelief. "You've allied yourself with Zorc?!"

"Soon, the whole world will be at his feet. I don't intend to end up in pieces like humanity will be."

There was a long moment of silence went by, and the look on the spirit's face turned from horror to deep rage. What was going on? What were they talking about? That spirit had mentioned the darkness again...

"GANDORA!"

A blinding light suddenly emitted from the woman making all of them cover their eyes to protect their sight. But when they opened them again, before them was the white dragon from before, roaring furiously at Gandora. With lightening quick speed, she closed her jaw on his neck and tossed him violently to the other side of the room, part of his throat nearly torn off from the bite.

"Did you believe you could just run your mouth to me with no consequences? I am not so generous as I would let a statement of treason stand, unpunished! Humanity must be defended. That is the oath we made to the Pharaoh, five thousand years ago. You were there with all the other spirits who agreed to it."

"Times change, Kisara. You're barely five millennia old, while I've been around since the beginning of time. And never have I witnessed a threat like the Dark One. Now he's returning, and I will not sacrifice myself for selfish humans who forgot about the greater order and us!"

"Get out of my sight before I decide to erase you," she threatened. "Unless what you were really looking for was a fight with the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

Extending her wings as far as she could, she roared again, making the whole building shake and the few present smaller spirits take off. The black dragon recoiled and vanished as well.

"Where'd he go?" asked Joey, frantically looking around.

"To heal in the spirit world. This is bad. If someone as strong as Gandora can turn, then the darkness is already upon us. I must return to the temple immediately. Hurry into the portal. The gates will close as soon as I'm gone. And please... be careful. All of you."

Joey was the first to approach the dark gate. Nope, it really wasn't inviting. But then again, neither was his neighborhood, and he lived their. The fact that it was unpleasant wasn't stopping him. Not as they were getting closer.

"Here goes nothin'!"

* * *

He fell. For a long time he fell. He screamed at first, but there was no end to his falling. There was nothing to be seen around him, except for black and purple shadows dancing around him, as he descended. Joey looked at his watch, and cursed when he saw that it had stopped. Now was the perfect time to break it.

'Damn it!'

A laughter suddenly rang in his hear. But again, there was nothing around and he was still falling. Then there was another. And another. Until his ears were ringing to the point that he covered them.

"The hell is goin'... WOW!"

That shout of surprise escaped his mouth when he made contact with the ground and slipped on what seemed to be a puddle of mud. Sure enough, his clothes dampened and darkened.

"Ah, man! Gross."

Standing back up, he was about to try to wipe it off when he recognized where he was. Hoshu. His cut-throat and filthy shit-hole of a neighborhood. The stench, the buildings, the distant shouting and occasional gunshot... The ugly familiarity turned his guard mode on, just like whenever he was there. He also realized that something was missing. No moneybags, no class rep, no Tea, no Tristan in sight. He was alone. Why was he alone? Was he suppose to be with them? Why? The blond suddenly pinched himself.

"Come on, Joey!" He told himself, shaking his head. "Ya were doin' somethin'! Somethin' important, damn it!"

A light chuckle reached his ears. "It doesn't matter what you were trying to do, Joey. You'd have screwed anyways. Like you always do."

The blond whipped around. A short figure beside him smiled at him. From the voice he could tell it was a girl, but she was covered from head to toe with what seemed to be a coat too big for her. But there were wine stains, dirt and lots of ripped areas. In short, she was hidden under rags. All he could see from her face was her mouth. And the way she smiled gave him the creeps.

"Who're ya, kid?"

She ignored the question. "Do you recognize where we are? This is the alley where you had your first job as a Scarlet Wolf."

Something in him spiked and he looked around the alley. It wasn't just exactly how he remembered. There were blood stains on the wall as if it'd just happened. He wanted to puke as the memories flooded his mind. The boss had asked him to prove himself by stealing from someone. But the kid they'd picked, a year younger than him then didn't have anything. Joey had decided to let him go, but his gang mates had decided to beat the crap out of him anyways. And he'd just watched as they cracked open his skull and nearly killed him.

"Of course you remember," said the little girl, still smiling. "Even when you try doing bad things, you fail. That's says a lot, don't you think?"

She didn't wait for him to react and dashed away.

"Hey! Wait up! It's dangerous around here!"

Running after her, he came across more familiar streets and people. Those he'd wished he could get away from his entire life. Why was he here? It made no sense. Quickly enough, he caught up to her. She was sitting on the monkey bars of an old playground, staring at the highway that was passing not far. Again, places familiar and hated by him. More specifically, she was staring at the bridge passing over it. That cursed bridge.

"You never told anyone what you saw here did you?"

Again, his stomach turned and he almost puked. He could stomach a lot, having lived here all of his life. But some things are just undigestible. What had happened there was haunting, and would never leave his mind for as long as he lived.

"Say it," ordered the little girl.

As if he couldn't resist the command, he answered. "This is where I last saw my mom..."

"Poor her. You just weren't enough for her were you? You couldn't save her. Maybe from birth she knew you were no good. That's why everything was fine as long as her daughter was here. It was the reason she could stand her alcoholic husband and worthless son. And when she lost that, there was nothing left keeping her from getting mad. She said she was leaving. You tried to catch up to her, and you saw her on the edge. But you froze, and you watched. You really are good for nothing."

His heart galloped in his chest, as the memories assaulted his brain, forcing the emotions from back then to spring back up. He'd known what she was about to do. But he'd been unable to move until it was too late. Why was he here? He didn't want to be here! He had to be somewhere else. He had something to do.

"It doesn't matter. No matter what you try to do, you're going to fail. That's just who you are Joey Wheeler. Born a failure. You can't even help yourself, why would anyone count on you to do anything?"

 _Failure. Failure. Failure._

Whispers resonated in his skull, threatening to crack it. Who was that kid? Why was she talking to him like that? Why did she know all of that? Why was she smiling?

 _Loser. Waste of space. Parasite._

The pain became almost physical. Like those voices had thrown an lighter after spraying his brain with gasoline. He covered his ears, but the whispers were in his head. And they laughed.

"Shut up! Shut up!"

 _Worthless. Useless._

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

If this went on for much longer he might actually turn bonkers! Was that how it'd been for Yugi when she said she heard voices? Damn it! Wait... Yugi! That was it! That was why he was here! That's why he had to go!

"It's pointless," said the child, again, reading him like a book. "You'll just fail again. Just like you always do."

"No!" He shouted. "I promised! I promised I'd save her!"

"So what?" replied the kid, who's smiled suddenly vanished. "You've made promises before. It means nothing."

"What would ya know?! Who the hell are ya? For all I know, ya're just in my head, kid!"

That's right! He remembered now. Kisara. She'd told them this place was going to screw with their heads. All he was seeing was a sick illusion, created by this fucked up place. But the child's creepy grin returned and she stood up with perfect balance on the monkey bars. Suddenly, red leaked down her arms, legs and face.

"I'm the proof Joey. Proof that you're a failure, and that you can't save anyone. Not even your sorry self. "

His entire system froze. Everything here was familiar. Including the coat covering up the kid. It'd belonged to his dad. And the last time he'd seen it, was back when... No. No. Not this. Anything but this! God, please no. The kid unbuttoned the coat, and let it slip off her, revealing a little girl in pink pajamas, with red hair. But her face was deformed. Bruises all over, nose bashed in, broken jaw, one eye popped out of its socket and hanging by a nerve... And from a large crack in her skull, her own blood showered her, staining her pajamas. She stank of rotten flesh. Joey thought his own throat as going to close up and choke him.

"You couldn't save me," she said, still smiling. "So why would you be able to save anyone when you can't even protect your little sister?"

* * *

 **If this ain't royally screwed up, I don't know what is. Looks like the Dark One is already on the move... Will the dweeb patrol pass their trials on time?**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	26. Them fools

**And back to being tardy. Sorry guys, I suck. :(**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The billionaire's footsteps resonated in the empty hallway as he walked. Something wasn't right. The people he came across were familiar faces. The employees of his central saluted and congratulated him on his latest successful deal. Still something wasn't quite right. Like he'd forgotten something. Something really important. And that didn't sit right with him. Frustrated he shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out his smartphone to check his schedule of the day. Though his memory was usually extremely reliable, he always took notes just in case. Everything for today had been checked out.

'Maybe I promised something to Mokuba and forgot?'

But that didn't feel right. Finally, he reached his office. Closing the door behind him, he sat down at his desk, and bringing his hands together, got to his thinking position. What was bugging him so much? Today was an average day, from the looks of it. He never forgot things, it was unfamiliar and unsettling to suddenly be bothered. He looked behind him. The sun was setting, he probably should head home. Suddenly his phone rang. It was his brother. It wasn't unusual for him to call whenever Seto failed to get home when he said.

"Don't worry, Mokuba. I'll be home soon. Whatever I forgot, you can remind me..."

A deep chuckle silenced him, and a modified voice responded. _"Oh, you won't have to bother, Mr CEO. Your brother is much closer to you than you think."_

Now this felt familiar. That anger rising inside him, like an electrical current rushing through his blood, made him him rise from his seat. Whoever had taken his brother this time was going to pay, like all the others before.

"Who the hell are you?"

" _You'll find out very soon."_

"I'm warning you, bastard. I don't give a rat's ass who you are, but if you do anything to my brother, I'm going to destroy you. Trust me, you're far from the first one who's pulled that stunt. And like all the others, you'll regret it for the rest of your life.I'll only ask this once. Where is Mokuba?"

The man on the other side chuckled again. _"Right next to me, as you can probably hear."_ Indeed, the youngest Kaiba's voice could be heard in the background, protesting. _"I have another guest waiting for you. Best not to keep them waiting."_

"Another guest?"

" _Hurry up to the roof, Seto. I'll give you five minutes before I order my guys to start breaking fingers."_

The instant the call ended, his body hurried out of the office and to the elevators. But his mind was haunted by something else. Seto. The kidnapper had called him Seto. No one called him that aside from Mokuba. And Kisa occasionally. Who the the hell could this be? The hair on the back of his neck stood and he felt cold sweat in his back. The only other person in the world who could call him that was dead. It couldn't be him. The elevator stopped and the doors opened, leading to the roof where the choppers usually landed. But there was nothing there. Aside from three men dressed in black, all wearing ski masks to hide their faces. At their feet, on their knees, two figures. One with a thick black mane, and the other, a mess of tricolor hair. No. No! Why her? No!

"Seto!" shouted his little brother. "Help us!"

Reflexively, he took a step further, but the moment he did, two of the man pulled the hostages back to their feet, and pointed knives at each of their throats.

"Stay right where you are, boy," ordered the man in the middle, who's voice was familiar. "Try to behave if you don't want their blood to redecorate your landing platform.

"What do you want, you bastard? Who the hell are you?"

"Come now, son. You know exactly who I am." When he removed his mask, Seto's eyes widened in shock.

"How are you here? You're dead!" he shouted, losing it.

This wasn't logical. This wasn't possible! You can't come back from the dead! And yet, he stood in front of him, exactly how he last saw him. Gozaburo Kaiba. His adoptive father who'd made their life a living hell.

"Have you learned nothing from what I taught you Seto? Never trust anything other than your own two eyes. You heard about me committing suicide in the papers and your associates. But you didn't even bother to check. And that was your greatest mistake. Didn't you find it odd that there was no body?"

Yes it had. In the back of his mind, always, was this shadow of a threat still bothering him. He blocked out with his work. But it had always been there. Why hadn't he made sure that this threat had been taken down for good, like he did with all the others? Why was the one he apprehended the most, the one he let slide? He clenched his fists trying to contain the rising frustration. Damn it.

"I took you in. I raised you, fed you, put a roof over your head, payed for your education, and you repaid me by stealing my company."

"Don't make me laugh, old man!" he shouted, gritting his teeth. "You treated me like your own personal slave, to replace the son you lost and make a puppet out of me to carry out your filthy legacy. You used my brother as bait to make me do your dirty work. You manufactured and sold weapons of mass destruction to countries at war and profited off of that! You are and always have been a deluded psychopath."

"And today is the day you're going to pay for that, you little ingrate." A smirk stretched out across Gozaburo's face. "Today, I'm taking something from you."

This was bad. It was clear the old man wasn't here to negotiate or discuss anything. No. He wanted revenge, pure and simple. And with Moki and Yugi in his grasp, he held all the cards. For the first time in a long, long time, Seto felt helpless. No. There had to be something he could do. His pride would take a blow, but nothing was worth risking either of them getting hurt.

"You want the company back?"

"I don't give a damn about this company anymore, Seto. It was my pride and my biggest achievement. After you stole it from me, you changed it entirely. It means nothing to me now. What I want is for you to suffer, and feel what I felt when I lost everything."

Gozaburo stepped closed to Yugi and grabbed her chin roughly, getting a frightened whimper out of her.

"I hear from this one that you like games, son. So let's play a little."

With a snap of a finger, the two men pushed Yugi and Mokuba to the ground on their backs, holding them by the throat. The two grunted in pain, making Seto's eyes darken in purge rage. Yugi looked at him from the ground. She said nothing but her eyes begged. Begged for help, as tears streamed down her face.

"Here's the deal, Seto," continued Gozaburo, pulling a handgun out of his jacket. His mirk widened, resembling the fangs of a wolf. "Pick one."

"What?"

"Pick one," repeated his adoptive father. "I'll shoot whichever you pick in the head, giving them a painless death. The other, will be tortured until their body gives in. Or their mind, whichever breaks first. And of course, I want you to watch the whole thing."

"YOU SICK SON OF A BITCH!"

"Choose Seto. If you don't, no shortcut to the other side for either of them. You have three minutes."

 _Yes, Seto choose. Choose quickly._

* * *

"W-Where the hell are we?" asked Tristan, with reason.

They were standing on what seemed to be a path made of rock. They couldn't see the end of it on either side, but it was pretty thin. And all around them, everything was infested with purple shadows. When they tries looking over the edge, there was nothing but purple down there as well.

"Screams Shadow Realm to me alright..." said Tea, shivering. "Ugh, this place gives me the creeps."

"Why are we here again?"

She threw him a bewildered look. "Are you serious? We have to get through this place to get to Yugi remember, numb-skull?"

"Oh right, yeah. Sorry," he replied rubbing the back of his head. "How did I forget that?"

"I have a better question," interrupted the brunette, looking around. "Where are all the others? Didn't they jump before us? They should be here."

"Actually, I think the weird part is us being together. Kisara told us that this place was going to test us, right? She didn't say anything about it being a collective test."

"Then, why did we end up together?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Maybe because you haven't let go of my hand since we landed."

Looking down, she saw that she was still hanging on to his arm. Her face reddened a little and she let go. "Sorry, I freaked out when we jumped."

"Wait, it might not be a bad idea. If we stick together, we might have a better chance at countering whatever's waiting for us. I don't know about you, but I'm not as confident at the two hot-heads."

Point taken, Tea grabbed the hand he was offering. Like hell she'd admit it, but she felt the same way. Kisa, Joey and Kaiba, they all had something about them that made them seem strong in a way. She didn't think she had that. And boy, was she grateful that her pointy-haired schoolmate was with her right now.

"So, which way?" he asked. "Both sides look identical."

"Why do you ask me?"

" _Well, well, what do we have here?_ " suddenly echoed a clearly not human voice.

"Please tell me you heard that too," whispered Tea, digging her nails into his skin.

But Tristan was too busy staring to even notice the pain. Transparent, ghost-like figures moved around them, staring at them and whispering.

" _A pair? It's been forever since the last ones,_ " commented another.

"You're... you're the lost souls that haunt the realm..."

" _Bingo. You're really not the first who thought they could escape the trials by staying together. It won't help you,"_ said one.

" _In case you forgot, you entered the realm with your bodies as well. It's boring when we can't play with your minds, but we're always ready for strays."_

"What are you talking about?" asked Tea. "What do you want?"

Instead of replying, they giggled like little kids and backed up. Then a cracking sound was heard and the two teens, slowly turned around. Only for their eyes to widen in horror. Wolves. Not really, but wolf like creature with four red eyes each were staring and growling at them. They didn't have to imagine what was going to happen to them, if they didn't move.

" _Better get running humans,"_ the souls taunted, before chuckling again. _"Let's see who survives the longest on our little race track."_

* * *

"What's the matter Kisa?" asked Tea, as the two friends walked side by side to school. "You look distracted?"

"I don't know..." replied the class rep, staring into space. "I feel like I'm forgetting something important."

"You? Forget things? I don't think so. Your brain has the storage capacity of a satellite. That's why you're so good at everything school related. Do you have to go help out at the orphanage after school or something?"

"No, that's not it. It feels more important than that..."

The brunette shook her head and bumped into her friend's shoulder. "Come on, stop overthinking already. You're making my brain hurt and I feel like Joey when that happens. Ugh, not a good feeling."

Maybe Tea was right. Maybe she was just imagining things. After all, there was nothing more important to her than being there for the kids of the Yamato orphanage. And for her friends of course, and she was sure they would remind her if she'd forgotten something. And yet... Why did she feel like something big was missing. Shaking her head, she tried to chase away the strange impression. Once in the classroom, their classmates saluted her, smiling and welcoming. They asked how she was doing, if she needed help with anything and to each she smiled and replied. She really loved all of them. When she managed to get passed them and reach her desk, she was about to tend to her duties when one of the boys sitting on the edge of the window got everyone's attention.

"Check it out. Kaiba and Muto are at it again."

Yugi and Kaiba? That seemed to stir up the class, as almost everyone stood up to go to the window. Curious, she stood up as well and went to see. Outside, sitting at one of the picnic tables, were indeed the two game brains. On the table was a checker board. As they played, Kaiba smiled and that made something pinch her heart. It was that smile. The one he had one when she'd first seen him. Back then, when she didn't even know him or Yugi. That smile that had stayed with her since. The one she'd desperately wanted to put back on his face no matter what. But there he was, smiling at Yugi. Her heart hurt again, and she placed a hand on her chest. She knew. She already knew what she was to him. So why was she feeling like crying? She was used to it by now. As if the sight burned her eyes, she turned away. What was wrong with her?

"Disgusting, isn't it?" said one of the boys, shaking his head at them.

"Yeah, totally gross."

"If I have to keep watching, I'm gonna barf."

That was weird. They liked to gossip like every teenager, but why were they cynically smiling at those two like that? It was strange. Everyone liked Yugi, and everyone was scared of Kaiba. No one would dare talk like that, even behind his back. What was up with them?

"What are you guys talking about?" She asked, shocked by their behavior. "That's really rude. Not to mention, mean."

"Come on, Kisa," said Tea, having that same look on her face as the rest of them. "You don't have to do that anymore. You lost."

"What?"

Her friend turned to her, looking at her with those same resentful eyes. And yet she was still smiling. Miho, another of their classmate turned to her, an identical look on her face.

"You're always the nice one, the mature one, the responsible one. You take care of everything and everyone. You're so reliable, you're kind and you put everyone before yourself."

"And yet," said Joey, who was sitting on a desk nearby. "For all of that kindness, ya get nothin'. Ya always come second. Always the last serve, always the loser."

"All you've ever wanted was for everyone around you to be happy," continued Tea. "But then, you found something you really wanted. Oh, if only you could've had that one thing. The only thing you've desired for yourself. But it was taken from you. All your efforts, all that kindness, all that good behavior, for nothing..."

When had they all moved around her like that? She felt like the only sane person left in a zombie movie! "W-what are you guys saying? You're talking nonsense..."

"What was it all for, Class rep?" said a student.

"Yeah, Kisa," continued another. "What was it all for? You deserved what you wanted, but you just didn't get it because it was taken from you."

"Ya don't have to play good anymore. Ya have a right to be angry. Ya should be angry."

"You should take something from others for a change," said Miho. "You should try to take him back. He should be yours. You deserve it."

"We understand, class rep. We know you're angry, deep down. We know you're in pain."

"Why not make it go away? Let yourself be happy. We'll help."

"Yeah, we'll help. You deserve that much."

Their words struck her like lightening. Not so much from their harshness as from their accuracy. She had always been there for everyone. When anyone needed help she was the first to respond. And yet... she didn't get the one thing she'd been longing for. Even when she'd realized how much her short friend meant to Kaiba, she'd never said anything. Not even cry when she was alone. She'd done nothing. She looked out the window again, looking at her them. Something boiled in her veins. Why couldn't she get what she wanted? She was just as deserving as her friends, after all. What stopped her?

 _You're more deserving. You can have him. You can have everything._

 _You've given enough. Time to start taking._

All her muscles tensed. An emotions she'd buried deep deep in her heart were rising, and threatening to make her head explode. Sadness, anger, regret, jealousy... She was only human. She had a right to feel those. But she started shaking violently. The fear. The fear was there too. So the voices continued.

 _We understand. You're in pain. You don't want to hurt your friend._

 _But it takes sacrifices to get what you want. You know that better than anyone._

 _Just this once, don't be the sacrificed one. Be the winner._

Yeah, that sounded about right. It takes sacrifices to get things done. Two hands landed on each of her shoulders.

"It's okay Kisa," said Tea. "We'll help. All of us. We owe you."

"Don't sweat it," added Joey. "Just let us give ya a hand."

"Don't touch me, you fakes."

Everyone around backed away surprised, when she turned around and threw the most pissed off glare she had in store. She'd rarely felt this kind of anger. It was pure rage, infused with loathing and scorn.

"What's wrong, Kisa?" said the one looking like Tea. "We just want to help you. We're your friends."

"It's pointless playing dumb. I remember why I'm here," she said. "I'm in the Shadow Realm, and you are not my friends."

They all remained frozen for a moment, before they started laughing. But their laughter was nothing human. It sounded like the cry of a hyena mixed with the scream of a banshee. Their eyes turned black entirely and their teeth stretched to fangs.

" _Impressive_ ," hissed one, who seemed more irritated than surprised. " _How did you escape the inner whispers? No one ever does._ "

"Kisara said you lost souls used our own weaknesses to mess with our heads. But you picked the wrong one to use against me."

" _Impossible_ ," snorted another, hissing as well. " _That was the deepest regret in your heart. There's no way you could've tricked us when you didn't even remember you were in the Shadow Realm in the first place!_ "

"That was your mistake. I know how this place works, now. You lot prey on a person's regrets. Regrets are destructive and have a butterfly effect of affecting a person's choices forever. That's why it's so efficient. It gives you the opportunity to generate fear and terror in the heart of anyone who falls for your illusions. Except for me."

" _And what makes you so special?"_

"There is something much worse sleeping in me. Instead of taunting me with my regrets, you should've preyed on my fear. Compared to that silly regret, it could tear me apart. It controls me and everything I do. I could probably go crazy just thinking about it."

She shook as she said that, rage still shaking her. Thought she wasn't sure the lost souls wearing the faces of her friends and classmates. But they seemed confused. They weren't used to having someone passing the trials unmask them to easily and lecture them on how they should've done things. Kisa had never hated anyone before, but she was certain now that this was the angriest she'd ever been towards someone. She probably did hate those creatures, with all her heart for trying to make her fall prey to her own self. One by one, she eyed the creatures around who took steps back again. Ignorant beings. They knew nothing of her true pain.

"There is nothing I fear more than losing his happiness."

" _Don't make me laugh. You'd sacrifice everything, just so that this guy gets what he wants? Do you have no consideration for yourself? Do you enjoy being always stepped on?_ "

"You told me I deserve what I want because I'm always selfless. But you're wrong. I'm much more selfish than I look. The reason I became friends with Yugi was to get close to him. I became the class representative to keep an eye on him." Tears streamed down her face but she kept her head high. "My friends, my classmates... they were my tools. What do you think of my selflessness now, monsters? "

She said all of that, as she realized it. How ironic. She'd always done her best to make everything work the best way possible. Only to see that in the end, it was for herself. She thought of her short friend. She'd save her, because that was the least she could do for her. Quickly, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I've had enough of this. Out of my way. There's someone I have to find."

* * *

 **Like walking on eggshells! Will they get out of their predicaments? Keep reading!**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	27. Face up

**Hi guys. I'm so sorry for being late. Thing is, last week, some jackass pickpocket stole my phone. I lost over 2000 photos, I had to change all of my passwords of every account ever, I lost all of my contacts... So yeah, the emotional blow was pretty bad, as I spent the entire week fantasizing about finding the bastard and finding the most painful way of making him pay for stealing from me. Anyways, sorry again, and I hope you enjoy the new chapter.**

* * *

She'd passed out in the hallway while speaking with the Pharaoh. Right. Darn it. Even in her own dream in was freezing cold. Everything was white around her. She was walking aimlessly in a snowy forest. Except the trees were still the thorns from her previous dream. But there was something strange about it. Last time, she didn't want to wake up and a dragon talked to her. This one... this one was like she just couldn't wake up. And she was still cold and shaking, wrapping her arms around herself. The only sound reaching her ears was her heart hammering in her chest. Other than that, it was much too quiet. For some reason, her feet kept moving. Almost like she was trying to find a way out of here. None of her nightmares before had felt this ominous. What was going on here? A high pitched cry behind her made her nearly jump out of her skin. Yugi sighed in relief when she saw it was just her little furry companion.

"Holy! Don't scare me like that," she said, patting it on the head. "You almost gave me a heart attack. How are you even here? Oh right. I guess if Kisara was able to enter my dreams, other spirits can probably also do it."

She took her hand back to cover herself when another wave of shivers assaulted her body and made her teeth chatter. Kuriboh seemed to panic, and snuggled against her chest. It wasn't much, but she wholeheartedly accepted the bit of warmth the little spirit was bringing her, and wrapped her arms around him.

"I don't suppose you know how to get out of here..."

 _Are you in a hurry?_

"No, it just feels wrong to be..." She froze before looking down at the fur ball. "Did you just talk?"

But when she looked down and saw Kuriboh frowning and felt his hair stand against the skin of her arms, she looked up to see what he was looking at. Leaning against one of the thorn trees, was a shape. A human shape, but entirely black. Like a 3D shadow, standing before her. Only the eyes were discernible as they seemed to be made of light. Also, the shape was familiar. Not very tall, crazy hair, and overall an overwhelming presence.

"Pharaoh?" she asked, unsure. "Is that you?"

 _Do you not recognize me?_

He was speaking like Kisara. She heard him but directly in her head. Just like when she had the puzzle too.

"How are you in my dream? Why are you..."

 _I am as you picture me, little one. In dreams, shadows are often used to represent the unknown and the fear it brings._

"But... I've met you already. I don't understand..."

 _But the question is; do you know me?_

Fair point. She'd only talked to him briefly. But she thought she'd gotten a pretty good impression of him. And this person didn't feel familiar at all. Her suspicions only grew when her little friend suddenly hissed furiously at the shape, like an angry cat. And Kuriboh had been nothing but cuddly towards the Pharaoh. Something was definitely wrong with this picture.

"You didn't answer my question," she said.

 _I'm here to observe you. I've been told there could possibly be something work my time here, and allowed myself into your dream. Does it make you uneasy?_

"To be honest, yes," she replied frowning. "I'm guessing you have something to do with whatever is keeping me from waking up. And I'd like to get out of here. It's really cold."

He chuckled. A deep laughter that was similar to the Pharaoh's. But it lacked the warmth. In fact, everything about him lacked warmth. He didn't even have a discernible face, for crying out loud.

"You're not the Pharaoh."

 _I'm shocked that you even considered that I was, little one. Our auras should feel like night and day to you._

"Why do you look like him?"

 _I needed a proper shape in order to enter your subconscious. Something that wouldn't feel threatening to you. He seemed like the obvious choice._

A proper shape to enter the subconscious? So not all spirits could enter dreams. Maybe that was why she'd never seen Kuriboh until now. The shadow-man pulled away from the tree and slowly walked towards her. He looked around, seemingly admiring the setting.

 _Your dreams are quite heavy_ , he commented. _I've rarely seen this sort of torment in someone as young as you. How you must have endured._

"What do you mean?"

 _Thorns represent pain. The cold is sickness, and physical vulnerability. And the lack of activity or presence, anxiety. Your dream is a mess. Hard to believe it's that of a pure one. I wonder if he lied to me. I wouldn't put it passed him, but it's unlikely._

Okay, this beating around the bush was putting her on edge. Having someone analyzing her dream from the inside was bad enough. Not to mention that Kuriboh hadn't stopped hissing furiously at the shadow-man. And if her little fur-ball was supposed to be her guardian angel like the Pharaoh said, then this guy was probably a threat to her.

 _Our common friend didn't mention your name._

"I don't even know who you are. What common friend? Are you another spirit?"

 _Forgive the rudeness_ , he replied before bowing. _I've been called many things, but you may address me as Zorc. And let's just say that, I'm curious about you. Who knows? At the end of our conversation, I might even become interested._

Before she could even ask what that meant, he moved. Sinking into the ground before springing up right in front of her again. He leaned forward until only an inch separated their foreheads, and a row of teeth appeared on the shadow-face, forming a smirk.

 _I'm here to assess you, pure one._

Violent tremors shook her insides, and this time, Yugi knew it wasn't due to the cold. This was probably what Joey called his 'gut feeling'. Danger breathed on her face, she could feel it. After all, Ishizu had mentioned eveil spirits before. And she was almost certain one was standing in front of her. Stepping back she put some distance between her and Zorc. He chuckled at her.

 _Too late for retreat. This may be your dream, but you allowed the nightmare in._

Kuriboh chose that moment to jump out of her arms and throw himself at the shadow-man's arms, sinking his teeth in it. But that had no other effect than to make him chuckle again. Nonetheless, the little spirit refused to let go.

 _Haven't I seen you before? Oh, that's right. You were always at the Pharaoh's side in the old days. I don't know why he bothered keeping you around. With the three others, he certainly had no need for such a worthless servant. However, your attitude is commendable, I'll give you that. I've always had a soft side for things that sacrifice themselves for the sake of others. They are by far the tastiest._

More shadows suddenly extended from Zorc's arm, surrounding Kuriboh quickly, like an ink stain spreading. The little spirit let go and tried to free himself from the shadow, letting out high pitched squeals of helplessness.

"Kuriboh!"

It looked at her, frantically shaking his paw. She didn't know if he was calling her for help or telling her to run. She took a step forward nonetheless, wanting to spring forward, but the shadows swallowed the fur-ball before she could even make a second one. She remained frozen, mouth hanging, unable to process what had happened. The shadow-man let out a satisfied mmm.

 _As I thought, delectable._

"What have you done?"

 _Consumed him._

"But this is a dream! Nothing is real, you can't..."

 _True. You yourself are nothing more than a reflection of your own person inside your own head. But us spirits, who travel on dreaming, praying and meditating plane, are very much real in all of them._

So he'd really eaten her little companion? For a moment, she thought she was going to puke. She felt even more naked than before. There wasn't anything left between her and the shadow-man. Right, she had to wake up. Grabbed her arm, she she pinched herself as hard as she could, digging her nails into her skin, until blood spilled. But nothing happened. There was just pain. Why? This worked usually!

 _It's futile. I will not allow you to leave until I am satisfied. Let's get on with it shall we?_

Once more, he sunk into the ground and disappeared. On guard, she looked around, to see where he would reappear, but instead, shadows appeared out of nowhere. Before long, everything around got engulfed in dark. The thorn trees, the snow, everything disappeared in the dark. Yugi could see anything. Hear anything. Feel anything. Like she'd gone blind, deaf and numb in an instant. She wasn't even sure that she was moving, as there was no more ground beneath her feet. The only thing she did discern was the hammering in her chest. And even that felt distant. Where was he? He could be anywhere. Breathing down her neck, in her face, under her feet. Then she could see again. No. She could see herself only, bringing her hands up, she saw that she was emitting a strange light. Strong enough to almost blind herself with it. Like Kisara in a way. She was a lantern.

'What the heck... Why am I glowing?'

 _Incredible,_ said a voice, making her jump. _The Thief King was right. I've never seen anyone like you. How did you inherit such a pure soul? Just who are you?_

Where was he? His voice resonated all over. Far away and whispering in her ear at the same time, but he was nowhere to be seen. His chuckle echoed all around, gradually turning into a hysterical laughter threatening to make her eardrums burst. She stiffened when a pair of cold hand grabbed her shoulders from behind.

 _I never thought I'd meet someone like you. Indeed, this is worthy of my time. I really want you, now._

Terror struck her again, and she whipped around and threw a punch. Only to hit nothing. She couldn't see anything. He laughed again.

 _Don't you know it's futile for a human to strike a shadow? However..._

Something invisible wrapped around her neck, and pulled her off the ground, cutting the airway to her lungs. Pain and panic shot through her, and she tried to wiggle herself free. But when she tried grabbing the hand choking her, there was nothing to grab. She ended up scratching her skin. The pain made her lungs burn and her eyes water.

 _I have no trouble touching you. If I were an ordinary nightmare, this is moment you would awaken. But I'm not finished with you. Not even close._

The hold on her neck loosened and she coughed loudly, trying to get the air in. Why was this happening? This was supposed to be a dream, for God's sake. And how do you fight something that you can't touch? He asked for her name. But she got back on her feet and started running. Not knowing where or in what direction, but just to get away from the darkness. She didn't get far when something struck her in the back and she crashed down face first. When she looked up, the eyes of light were staring right at her. And yet again, a hand that she couldn't see grabbed her hair, yanking her head back.

 _Be docile, Pure One. Trust me, this won't be nearly as painful as when we'll meet on the physical plane. Just relax and open your mind._

An image of Maximillian Pegasus and his Millennium Eye appeared in her mind. Not again. She'd never go through that again! At that precise moment, a ray of blinding white light flashed above them, piercing through the darkness. Suddenly, she could see the shadow-man again. He backed away, raising his arms to protect himself from the light.

 _YUGI!_ Shouted a familiar voice.

The white dragon landed next to her, roaring furiously at Zorc.

 _You. How are you here? I killed you!_

 _Guess again, Dark One,_ she hissed back.

Dark One? The Dark One? The one that Ishizu and the Pharaoh had spoken about? This was the spirit that nearly destroyed Egypt and killed all of those people five thousand years ago? It made a lot more sense now.

 _Yugi, you have to wake up now_ , urged Kisara, showing her teeth at the shadow-man. _The longer you're here, the harder it'll be for you to wake up. End the dream and all of us will break out._

"How? I tried, but pain doesn't work!"

 _Forgive me._

Before she could reply anything, the dragon closed it's enormous jaw on her head.

* * *

He didn't move. He couldn't. Serenity was looking at him. Her face was just like he remembered when they found her that morning. But she was smiling at him, as her own blood covered her. He'd been beaten. He'd been stabbed. He'd been cut with glass. He'd even been shot once. Every time he'd survived. But his sister... once. Only once, and she'd died. The bloody girl jumped off the monkey bars and approached him, looking at him with her one good eye.

"You remember that day, Joey? You were supposed to watch me. Duke came to get you to play soccer."

"Dad wasn't suppose to come back until much later," he continued, feeling compelled and unable to keep his eyes off the bloody spectacle that was her face.

"But he came back early. Of course he was drunk, like always. He was angry that mom hadn't made dinner. And he needed someone to yell at. I was the only one around. He scared me and I ran off. I found an alley to cry in. I waited, Joey. I waited for you to find me. I waited hours. In the rain, in the cold, kicking away the rats that were trying to chew on my toes... But someone else came instead."

His blood froze in his veins and it felt like thousands of needles were picking at his inside. But he couldn't so anything more than stare at her. Her grin faded and tears leaked out of her eyes, mixing with the dripping blood.

"It's your fault, Joey. It's your fault I died."

"I didn't want... I didn't mean..."

"But you did. And I died. Ever since, you've been no good. Not to yourself, not to anyone. You can't do anything right Joey. You never will."

Every word she said tore a new hole through his heart, making old scars bleed. Damn it. She was right. He'd known that all along. What had happened that day was his fault. Serenity, his mom, Yugi... It was all his fault. Because he couldn't help but screw up. Something warm dripped down his face and he realized he was crying. Teeth and fists clenched, he shut his eyes trying to contain the ocean about to burst out. Shit.

"W-What...what do I do?"

The smile on the girl's face returned. "It's easy. Nothing. No matter what you do, you fail. So don't do anything. All you have to do is stop trying."

Stop trying? Then his first answer had been, the right one? Let the flow take him and do nothing. Follow whoever asked to be followed. Let others tell him who to be and what to do. It was so much easier after all. He dropped to his knees and the grin on the child's face widened. Serenity stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him.

"Just stay here, with me. No one's expecting you, anyways."

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. Like she could evaporate in thin air if he didn't.

"I'm sorry, Serenity. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Joey," she whispered in his ear. "You don't need to do anything. Just stay here with me."

"I'm sorry... but I can't stay."

There was a moment of silence, and he felt the bloody girl stiffened in his arms. "Ya're right. I fail all the time. Failure pretty much defines me, ya got that right. But there's something else too."

Letting go off her, he placed his hands on her shoulders and smiled at her. Smiled through the pain tearing his heart to shreds, through the tears smearing on his face, and mostly, through the guilt of the past. That goofy smile had always been one of his strongest weapons.

"I'm also an idiot. And ya know what defines an idiot? Givin' up's just not in my vocabulary."

Shock showed on the Serenity's face, but he kept smiling a her. "Yug's waitin' for me. Maybe ya're right. Maybe I'll fail again, but I ain't alone this time. Even if I'm just a steppin' stone, I gotta try. If I can help get anyone of my buddies to her, then I'm doin' it. Even if that's one chance in a million, I'll risk it."

The child clenched her teeth, letting anger take over. "You can't! You're going to fail like always! You have to give up!"

"Ya said promises don't matter cause I can't keep 'em. But if I don't even try, then that makes me a liar. And that's one thing I know I ain't."

Her eyes filled with hate, and her face twisted with fury. "You can't do this! You can't leave me!"

"Ya know, ya're pretty good. I'm pretty sure that Serenity would tell me exactly that if she could talk to me. But ya ain't my sister. Ya're one of those lost souls that Kisara warned us about. Ya almost got me. But I gotta go now. She's waitin' for me."

The girl grabbed her hair with both hands like she wanted to rip it off, and screamed. But that scream was nothing human. It was a mix between breaking car and the roar of a lion. Her eyes turned black and claws and fangs grew on her.

"You filthy human!" she shouted. "How did you pass? Your regret is eating at you from the inside out... You should have been easy picks. How did you pass? Where is the hate, the anger?"

Joey wiped the tears in his eyes, before proudly crossing his arms on his chest. "I'll tell ya. I feel those all the time, every day. And ya sure put me through the ringer with those illusions of yours. But see, I already told ya I was an idiot. Meanin' I have a one track mind. And the most important thing to me now, is savin' Yugi."

"Nonsense! You escaped your deepest regret by discarding it for another? That's not possible!"

Joey found himself strangely calm. He wasn't used to being cool-headed. But it gave him a bigger perspective for once. Those lost souls were here to haunt and prevent greedy people to obtain anything. That meant they probably weren't used to people like them who passed the Fools Trials for someone other than themselves. The thought reassured him. If he could do it, the others could pass no sweat!

"I passed yar little test. Now ya gotta take me to that Valley of Kings' temple."

The bloody child shook with rage some more, and to his surprise, more tears escaped her eyes. He knew it wasn't his sister now, but he couldn't help but wonder if maybe that lost soul belonged to someone like Serenity before. The way she looked at him reminded him of the way his mother looked at him after his sister's death. Eventually, she snapped her fingers, and everything around them started melting. The playground, the bridge the river, even the sky.

"Wow, what the hell?! Hey, what's goin' on?"

"Get lost, human."

Everything went black, and suddenly, he was falling, just like before. But quickly his back hit a stony ground, and pain shot through his back.

"Ow, ow, ow," he let out as he tried moving. "That little freak could've at least warned me about the landin'. Ow."

Sitting up, he looked around. It was dark, and he felt like he'd entered a, Indiana Jones movie. A couple of torchlights were dimly lighting the hallway, and on the walls were carvings and hieroglyphs. But there was a brighter light at the end of the tunnel. He made his way there, and found himself in a much larger room with some weird ceremonial platform with carvings on the ground, an alter and a large open gate, out of which escaped a brilliant light.

"Now that looks like a temple," he commented.

The whole thing was making him cringe. What had happened here? He looked closer and his eyes widened when he recognized the golden objects on the ground. There was Marik's Rod and Pegasus's Eye. The Millennium Items. No doubt about it. Yugi was here, somewhere.

"Who goes there?"

The deep voice made him jump. Someone stepped out from behind one of the pillars and looked at him from the top of the platform. It was a man, with dark skin like Marik's, hair even crazier than Yugi's and most of all, his eyes could probably make a grizzly bear cower in fear.

"Who are you? How did you enter the temple?"

But Joey didn't answer. He was too busy staring at the Millennium Puzzle that hung from the newcomer's neck.

* * *

 **Can you say friction? ;) Next chapter, let's see how Kaiba** **handles his trial. I was pretty harsh on our favorite jackass billionaire.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	28. Bullseye

**Again, tardy. Sorry. I think I'm a lost cause. *sigh*. On a positive note, I feel much better than last week and writing was an absolute blast! I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Kisa really couldn't help the scream that left her mouth when she fell face first onto the stone ground. A painful vibration shot through her and her breath got cut off midway. Everyone of her muscles contracted, as if it would help make the uncomfortable sensation go away. Once it felt like she could breath normally again, she pushed herself up to her knees.

"Ouch. Ouch, ouch," she repeated, looking at the ripped skin of her knees and elbows. "Okay, I'm definitely gonna feel that for a while."

It was dark. Everything was dark around her. Only a small torch lit the not so big room. No windows, everything clearly made of stone... It sure felt like she'd reached the underground temple. There was a staircase on the opposite side, and a large round stone in the middle of the floor. Old carvings decorated it. Getting closer, she saw that the image in the stone represented an octopus-like creature with three eyes. One of those clearly resembled the one on Yugi's Puzzle. No doubt, she must be in the right place. But why was she alone? Were the others still stuck in the Shadow Realm? For a moment, panic struck her as she wondered if they'd failed. She'd been pretty shaken. Maybe they couldn't get through the emotional trauma... Kaiba and Joey worried her the most. To silence her annoying thoughts, she shook her head.

"Calm down. Maybe they just landed somewhere else in the temple." She took a breath and remembered why she was here. "I have to find Yugi and Kisara."

But her eyes were drawn to the stone again. There was something ominous about it. And there deep cracks in it. To crack a stone this big must have required hell of a lot of strength. And yet the pattern was scratch mark like. Shivers shook her and she was about to walk up the stairs when footsteps coming from the top reached her ears. Quickly she looked around for somewhere to hide but there was nothing other than the stone. No other choice. She ducked behind it. The footstep got closer and by the time they stopped, she knew the person was right on the other side.

"Are you there yet?"

Her heart skipped a beat and she held her breath. She knew that gruff voice and that accent. Bakura. So she really had landed in the right place. Why did he ask that though? Did he know she was here?The lack of answer made the British boy sigh in annoyance.

"What's taking the bastard so fucking long?"

 _Watch your tongue, Thief King. Remember whom you are speaking of._

Kisa had to cover her mouth to keep a gasp in. What the heck? Was there someone else here?

"Took you long enough. I'm guessing you enjoyed your visit a little too much."

 _I was only able to get a small taste. That cursed white dragon got in the way. I thought I'd killed her._

"You should've done your research, monster," replied Bakura. "You only killed her human body. Her soul got stuck in her spirit self. So, how did you find her? The Pure One, I mean."

That was what Marik had called Yugi back at Pegasus' mansion. What in the world did they mean by tasting? Please let it mean anything other than what she was thinking right now. She risked a peek behind the rock and saw her old schoolmate. But there was no one else. Was the stone talking back to him? Now that was creepy.

 _Mouth watering. If only Seth's wench hadn't gotten in the way, I could've had better taste. Free me already. I have a feast waiting for me._

"You sure are high and mighty for someone who's asking for a favor."

 _Your insolence really knows no bound, Akefia. But since you won't be alive for much longer, I suppose I'll allow you the privilege of sarcasm._

"Like you could stop me."

 _However before we get to that, take care of our pest issue. Come on out, I can smell you._

She stopped breathing.

* * *

"Tik tok. The clock is ticking, Seto."

The young billionaire was paralyzed. This never happened to him before. Usually his quick brain could find solutions to the toughest of problems in mere instants. But this... He never thought he'd face this. His body was even more frozen than his mind. What was the solution to that problem? Mokuba. Yugi. The ones, the only dear people to him. And he couldn't think of a single way to save them. The thought alone made his heart hammer in his chest and the pounding rang in his head, threatening to crack his skull.

"What's the matter, son? You better hurry, the time is almost up," said Gozaburo, with that nasty smirk still decorating his face. "Maybe some motivation would help you decide. Let's see which of their screams you can stand the most."

"Don't you dare, you sadistic bastard!" Kaiba shouted, reflexively taking a step forward.

"Careful boy," pointing the gun towards Mokuba. Kaiba froze instantly, fearing for his brother's life. "Take one step too close, and your choices vanish. And making one of their deaths less painful is all you can do."

That sentence made him want to puke as his insides tightened. And the look of delight on his stepfather's face told him that all of his emotions were showing on his face. His vulnerability was visible yet again to that monster who'd exploited him for half of his life. Sick pleasure was shining in Gozaburo's eyes.

"That look suits you, boy. By the way, I was serious about helping you get motivated."

Before Seto could do anything, his stepfather pointed his gun towards Mokuba's leg and fired a shot in his thigh. The ten year old screamed in agony, before uncontrollable sobs generated by pain and fear shook him. His cry made Seto's anger spike. Never. He'd sworn he'd never allow his brother to be hurt or cry again. But there he was. He threw a murderous glare at the culprit.

"It hurts..." Mokuba cried, his voice strangled by the pain and his eyes, drowned by tears. "It hurts..."

"You son of a bitch..." Seto growled, which only served to make Gozaburo's smirk widen.

"Now, let's see how she takes it," he said pointing his gun at Yugi this time.

"NO!"

He fired, hitting her in the shin. There wasn't much flesh there, so the impact of the bullet could only hit and crack the bone. But the gut-wrenching cry that escaped her mouth and shook him to his very soul would have him believe that her entire tibia has shattered like glass. She writhed on the ground in silent but obvious pain. This time he ran towards them until a bullet hit the ground right in front of him, stopping him in his tracks yet again.

"Stay, boy. You don't want to rush things do you? I have to say, I was surprised to hear that there was someone other than your runt of a brother in your life. I thought for sure everyone else in the world was below you."

With a sign of the hand, he ordered the man next to Yugi to pull her up. The man grabbed her by the hair and forced her to her feet. She winced in pain, both from her shot leg and her hair.

"I wonder, Seto. Did you think that you could ever lead a normal life and have the family you never had? You wouldn't have gotten close to this girl otherwise. Am I wrong?"

"You don't know anything about me, old man!"

"Of course I'm right. Granted, you took me by surprise when you stabbed me in the back and stole my company. But I've been watching you. And I've learned to read you like an open book. You're nowhere near as tough as you think, son."

"I am not your son. It's a damn good thing Noah died before he could become like you."

The smiled on Gozaburo's face faded, and for once, he frowned. But the smirk returned quickly.

"You really seem to enjoy antagonizing me, boy."

With that, he kicked Yugi in her wounded leg and she screamed in pain again. He then pushed her to the ground and kicked her in the stomach, forcing her lungs to empty.

"Stop!"

"Are you going to beg, boy? Step on your pride and role in the dirt like a dog? As much as I'd enjoy that, it wouldn't change anything. You have one minute left before I decide to torture both of them to death. 59 seconds. 58... 57... 56..."

Yugi looked up at him from the floor, rivers of tears streaming endlessly down her face. She shook in fright. "Kaiba..."

Cold sweat descended down his neck and back, and he was clenching his teeth so hard, they could break off at any moment. He looked at Mokuba and Yugi again. Which one of them could stand more? Yugi was as fragile as a twig. The only moment she showed strength was when they played. This was also a game. A fucking bloody game in which she was a pawn instead of a player. Mokuba was just a kid. He'd been through hell just like him, but never like this. He'd been beaten up by his kidnappers before but tortured? Never. Neither of them would resist long under the knife.

"41... 40..."

 _Which one, Seto? Which one?_

It felt like his brain was going to leak out of his ears, and his heart was on the verge of exploding. He grabbed his hair like he was going to rip it off his head. This was insane, driving him mad. He couldn't pick. Neither of them deserved to die painfully. But if he didn't pick they were both going to die in pain!

"35...34...33..."

"Big brother," pleaded Mokuba. "Help me!"

 _Pick quick Seto. Yugi or Mokuba?_

Even if he picked, the bastard was very damn capable of shooting the other one. There was no right answer. There was no solution. There was no way out. No. No! There was a solution to everything! That included this screwed up situation. There was always something to be done. There was always something he could do!

"28...27..."

"Kaiba," soughed Yugi. "Please..."

 _Pick quick. Your brother or your rival? Choose. Choose!_

"SHUT UP!" he shouted to the voices ringing in his head.

Gozaburo paused for a moment. "Whatever you want. But I'm still counting, Seto."

What the hell was he doing? Why was he choosing which one deserved to suffer and die? The answer was easy. They didn't deserve to die at all. Both were the purest people he knew. The only ones he was willing to let near him. They didn't deserve this. There had to be a way. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to inhale deeply and ignore everything. Yugi and Mokuba's pleas. Gozaburo's taunts. The voices whispering in his ears. He shunned them all.

Finally, a spark set off the thinking process. Taking down an enemy was first knowing his goal. Gozaburo had one. But it wasn't to kill his brother or Yugi. It was to make him suffer. So that was it. The only answer to this sick problem.

"6...5...4..."

He straightened up, face composed and icy eyes glaring.

"I've decided," he declared.

Gozaburo took his eyes off his watch and narrowed his eyes on him. "Well? Which one?"

Instead of replying, Seto looked down at the hostages. Their faces were horror struck, but he forced himself to look at them in the eyes. "I'm sorry."

He moved. Not towards them but to the edge of the building. He climbed on the foot high wall and whipped around to face his stepfather. As expected Gozaburo looked at him with complete bewilderment.

"What do you think you're doing, boy? Whatever you're planning is not going to work."

"You're half right. I have no way to know if this is going to work. But it's the only right answer to your sick little game, Gozaburo. The one you want to hurt is me. So I'm taking that from you."

Rage finally showed on his stepfather's face. Bullseye. It was working. "Is your pride so big that you'd give a painful death to the people you care about the most?You can't fool me, Seto. I know you. You think you can get away with bluffing?"

Seto closed his eyes for a moment.

'You don't get it at all, old man,' he thought to himself. 'I'm your target. If your objective disappears, then your actions become meaningless. And there's a chance you'll let them go.'

He bit his lower lip. This was another one chance in a million risk. But as proven by previous experiences, those bets had yet to fail him. Even if this was the most uncertain one he ever made. In this case, it was the only right choice. He opened his eyes again.

"Seto! Please! Choose me!" shouted Mokuba.

"Don't leave me like this!" pleaded Yugi.

There it was again. This feeling that something was off. Very off about all of this. But he refused to let that break his concentration.

"Even if you do this, do you truly think it'll change anything?"

"Like I said; it's the only right answer."

He looked at the hostages again. "Moki. Yugi. If I'm wrong about this, then I'm headed straight to hell. And I'll endure a thousand times whatever it is you'll both have endured."

They looked at him horrified. Damn. That was the look he'd last see on their faces? Oh well. In a way, it was fitting. If this was the last moments of his life, then he might as well say it to those two.

"I love you. Forgive me."

With that, he jumped back and fell. As he did, he remembered.

* * *

When the white dragon closed her jaw on her head, Yugi's eyes flashed open and she sat up. For a bit she panted, and waited for her heart to slow down. Radical solution much? If pain didn't wake her up, killing her was the next best option.

"Yugi! Finally," said a relieved voice next to her. "You had us worried."

On the edge of the bed she was sitting on was Ishizu. The priestess looked relieved and placed a hand on her forehead. Again, off putting from someone who'd kidnapped and sacrificed her.

"You've been sleeping for a long time, and I couldn't wake you."

Memories quickly caught up to her, and the short girl wrapped her arms around herself as shivers shook her. "I... I saw the Dark One. In my dream. H-He wouldn't let me wake up..."

Ishizu's eyes widened in horror. "You saw Zorc? How did you escape?"

"Kisara killed me... to wake me up."

"The he will be here soon." She gripped Yugi's shoulders, making sure to get her attention. "Listen to me, Yugi. No matter what, do not go back to sleep. Not as long as you're here."

Like she could after what she saw. Reaching for her neck, she remembered the Dark one's hand strangling her. Could he have killed her in her own dream? The thought made her want to puke. She realized it wasn't just a figure of speech. Her head was pounding like a drum!A strong wave of dizziness assaulted her mind, and she covered her eyes. Why was she sweating so much? This was even worse then before she passed out.

"What is happening to me? My head feels like it's going to explode."

"You don't have a fever. But you haven't eaten anything ever since the ceremony, you must be starving. I must go warn the Pharaoh, but I'll send some food over at once. In the meantime, try to lie down. But do not fall asleep, no matter what."

"Don't worry, I won't."

Ishizu quickly left the room, and Yugi sigh before rubbing her face again. This strange and terribly uncomfortable sensation reminded her of that time she caught the flu. Only ten times worse. She was light headed like she was starving, but her stomach felt so full, like she was on the verge of puking. Her brain was hot like she'd been studying for hours and her vision was having trouble focusing. Her hands were shaking too. And she was still freezing cold.

"Guess that spirit really did a number on me, huh?" she said to herself trying to sound like Joey.

She wanted to see him so bad. She wanted to see him smile that big idiotic grin of his. She wanted him to joke around and reassure her. She wanted to feel his warmth too. To distract herself, she looked around. This room was much bigger than hers. There were many torches to light it and the bed was gigantic. There were vases and other antiquities decorating it.

'This must be the Pharaoh's room...'

She looked up. Where was Kisara? The spirit had told her that if she woke up and ended her dream they would all get out. But where was she? An image of her little fur-ball getting swallowed up by the shadows made her tense up. Had something similar happened to Kisara?

"Please be okay," she muttered.

The shadow-man appeared in her mind. How does someone that was once human become something like that? It was unimaginable, to her at least. But what worried her the most was the interest the monster had taken in her. Why did this keep happening? She'd had enough of this. Suddenly, being alone became something unbearable. Throwing the cover off her despite the cold, she stood up to go meet the Pharaoh. Or Ishizu. Or even Marik. Anyone aside from Bakura would do.

'Wait a minute,' she thought, stopping. 'Zorc said a common friend told him about me. Then that means...'

She was interrupted when something large suddenly came crashing down into the room, landing in heavy fashion. Yugi nearly jumped out of her skin and retreat until her back hit the wall. The thing soon turned out to be a person. What the...

"Wait until I get my hands on you, you damn specter," muttered an angry voice as the person got back to their feet.

Her eyes widened in shock and she stood up. "Kaiba?"

Immediately, the young billionaire whipped around. His hair was mess. He didn't have his white coat or his briefcase, and he honestly looked like he hadn't slept in days. In no way was he his usual self. But he was here. He stared at her, his eyes surprise-struck for a moment. But quickly, he regained his usual cold glare.

"What the hell are you wearing?"

Unable to contain the shock and happiness overflowing inside, tears bursted out of her eyes and she found herself unable to answer. Her feet moved on their own and didn't stop until she slammed into Kaiba's chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"How... How are you here? How did you find me? W-Why did you fall through the ceiling? Where..."

"Shut up," he ordered, wrapping his long arms around her. "You've got a lot to answer for, you idiot. Don't think you're off the hook. And if you ever do something like that again, I'll kill you myself."

That was Kaiba speech for 'I'm glad you're okay.' Just knowing that her oldest friend, who she thought she'd lost forever, had crossed half the world to come find her was enough. It felt so good to have him here. Her heart throbbed with glee so much it could burst at any second.

* * *

 **I hope you guys are pumped. Cause we get some heat next chapter! I'll let you guess what that means. ;) Yes, I'm that evil.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	29. Hazardous games

**And on time for once! Not for my bet though, damn it! Anyhoo, enjoy the heat!**

* * *

Yugi's puzzle. What the hell was it doing around this guy's neck? What had he done to her? Joey's blood boiled in his vein and he felt his insides flip at the thought. Fists clenched, he threw a murderous glare at the man on the platform, who looked back with an equally imposing glare. But it had no effect on him anymore. Not with that at stake. For that, the anger was a blessing in disguise, because under regular circumstances, it might have paralyzed him.

"Answer my question," repeated the Egyptian, getting impatient. "Who are you?"

"Ya're one of Marik's buddies or somethin'?" he asked, struggling to keep himself from exploding.

"The Tomb Keepers serve me, if that is your question. Now answer mine, intruder. How did you find this place, and how did you enter?"

Joey ignored the questions. "Where is she?"

The man's eyebrows came closer together, it was clear that he knew exactly what Joey was talking about. And his ignorant answer only served to poke at the blond's anger.

"Who do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me, ya thief!" he shouted, finally letting the rage inside spread. "The Puzzle around your neck belongs to her!"

"The Millennium Puzzle has been mine since it was passed down to me by my father. The girl was simply chosen to be its keeper in my absence. I have stolen from no one."

"Tell me where she is, right now! Or I'm gonna get violent, it I can assure ya, it won't be pretty, ya freak."

The Egyptian man's eyes narrowed on him some more, if that was possible. Anger was starting to grow in him, but his anger seemed much more contained. His eyes threw daggers.

"You should mind your tongue and be careful to whom you're speaking to in such a manner, intruder. You invade this Pharaoh's sacred resting place and dare to make demands? You are lucky I am even speaking with you. Give me a good reason why I should not execute you right here and now?"

Why the hell did he speak like that? Now it really felt like he was in a movie. But the threat was real, his guts told him that much. His hair stood on his neck. There was something really strange at work here. And for some reason, it came from this guy. Hold on a sec... did he just say... He referred to himself as Pharaoh. And if he remembered correctly, that's what Marik had called Yugi when she was possessed back at the mansion. This guys was the spirit? He looked pretty human to him. Nothing like Kisara. Damn it. Now he regretted not letting Tea ask the white dragon questions. But it was no use crying over spilt milk, so he shook his head.

"Try whatever ya want pal, I ain't easy to get rid of, I'll tell ya that much," he shouted. "I'm takin' her wether ya like it or not. So out with it! Where is she?"

"The Pure One is not for vermin like you to touch. I will be damned to hell if I let a filthy dog like you take what belongs to me!"

Hearing that kind of crap from Kaiba's mouth was enough to set him off. From a complete stranger who'd done who knows what to Yugi... that was more than to make the anger turned to rage. He moved before he even knew it. Screaming like a warrior, he ran up the stairs to the platform and raised a fist to strike the Egyptian in the face. But at the last second, the Pharaoh took a step back and extended his foot. Taken away by his weight, Joey tripped on it and crashed face first onto the ground. The Egyptian chuckled darkly.

"Is that all you have to offer, besides blasphemy? I'm unimpressed."

"Ya son of a …."

The blond cursed under his breath. In seconds, he was back on his feet and charged again, trying to land a punch on the short man. The bastard was a lot more agile than he looked, effectively blocking every strike, which served to make Joey's irritation spike. The Pharaoh clearly knew how to fight, so he needed to get creative. Making use of his leg, he directed his knee towards his opponent who moved out of the way. Anticipating it, Joey extended the rest of his leg and his foot collided with the Egyptian chin. The Pharaoh grunted and was pushed backs to step.

"Ha! Ya still unimpressed?" He could feel a grin stretch across his face, which almost immediately vanished. "This ain't even a fraction of what I got, bastard."

With the back of his hand, the Pharaoh rubbed his mouth to wipe away the blood. "You're quite creative. I've never seen this kind of combat. But now that I have a fairly good sense of how you move, it's my turn. Allow me to show you what a real strike is!"

When he moved, Joey almost missed him. In a second, he was in front of him and a fist made contact with his face. His nose broke on impact, but it felt like the shock had cracked his entire skull. He grunted in pain, holding his head. He'd been punched enough to be able to take a hit without flinching, but man. This freak had concrete in his hands! And the moment he focused again, he brought his arm up just in time to block a second hit, headed for his temple. Then another one about to shatter his jaw. But he wasn't fast enough to dodge the elbow that hit him in the stomach, knocking the air out of him. This was bad. That first hit had not only disco-ordinate him, but blurred his vision. Not to mention the river of blood dripping down his face.

"You're no match for me, intruder. Give up and I may consider letting you leave with your life."

"Leave? Don't screw with me, ya bastard!" Joey shouted back, panting to catch his lost breath. "I'm ain't goin' nowhere without what I came here for. I'm takin' her back."

He pushed himself back to his feet, pinching his arm, hoping the pain would help his eyes focus and his headache vanish. Yugi. He had to get to Yugi. Screw the pain, screw his eyes, screw this guy...

"And seems like I gotta kick yar ass to beat the answer out of ya!"

Again he charged, and swung his fist again, missing his target by inches. Without any noticeable effort, the Pharaoh grabbed his arm and brought him closer, connecting his knee to the ribs. Pain shot through his side and he couldn't help the scream that escaped his mouth as he crashed on the ground yet again. Yeah, it was definitely cracked. Breathing was painful. Fuck.

"Damn it..." he growled, gritting his teeth. "For a shrimp, ya sure pack a punch."

The Pharaoh frowned. "Are you really willing to break yourself into pieces to get your hands on the Pure One? I don't see why this surprises me. I've seen fools so desperate to get the powers of the Gods for themselves that they'd confront malevolent souls and confront their worst nightmares. You are all the same."

A dark chuckled escaped Joey's lips. Who the hell did this guy think he was, lecturing him? And goddammit, he kept referring to Yugi as the Pure One. Anger burned him from the inside out again, and pushing through the pain, he pushed himself to his feet again.

"Funny ya should say that. But ya're pretty desperate yarself. Keepin' her locked up like an animal. Ya used her for God knows what and ya got the nerve to look down on me. She's comin' with me. I don't give a damn what's in my way. Spirits, crazy nut-cases with magical items, psychos... I've been through all of that. I've crushed everythin' in my path to get here. Ya're the last thing standing between me and her. I'll take her no matter what it takes."

Finally, the Egyptian reacted, biting his lip in frustration. Like his pride had taken a hit from the declaration. Joey's grin finally vanished.

"If ya want to stop me, then ya'll have to kill me!" he declared.

For a brief moment, the Pharaoh closed his eyes. When he reopened them, the fury in his eyes reflected the rage in himself.

"I wasn't planning to end you. But your words and very presence are an insult to this sacred place. I will not let you stand here and act as you please, intruder. Prepare yourself to feel the wrath of the Nameless Pharaoh!"

"Bring it, ya son of a bitch!"

Again, in mere moments, they were at each other's throats. Joey managed to strike the Egyptian in the face again, and once in the stomach. But every hit he received was like being hit by a brick. Still, even after getting chopped in the throat, punched twice in the face, and having his knee practically dislocated, he refused to back down, fighting to stay on his feet and every time attempting to attack again. But it was apparent that his opponent had the upper hand. His strength was unbelievable, no doubt the result of long, dedicated hours of training. By the time the Pharaoh kicked him off the platform, and he landed heavily on his back, he was pretty sure he was suppose to have passed out at least five times. But no matter what his head told him, he chased the darkness away with a thought. But that was all he could do.

'Damn it, damn it, damn it!' he cursed, feeling the pain amplifying as the adrenaline went down.

The sensation was familiar to having been beat up by the Scarlet Wolves but ten times worse. How the hell was it possible for someone to be this strong? More importantly, how the hell was he going to get passed him? Yugi. Yugi needed him. With that thought, he grunted in pain slowly rolling to his side to try and get up. But all he managed to do was sit up. From the top of the platform, the Egyptian stared at him.

"I've had quite enough. It's time to end this."

Suddenly, the Eye of Horus of the Millennium Puzzle lit up. Crap, he had to get out of the way. But there was no way he'd be fast enough! The Pharaoh extended a hand towards him.

"Mind Cru..."

But before he could finish his sentence, a loud high pitched scream rang in the entire room making both him and the Pharaoh look at the gate of light. A large black form escaped it and flew around the room, grazing the high ceiling, before descending down on him. His eyes widened in shock when he identified the shape as a dragon. Or another spirit shaped like a dragon. Was that like a trend in the spirit world? He didn't get the time to meditate on that, the dragon landed brutally just above him. It stared at him with brilliant red eyes for a long moment, and he held his breath wondering what the hell was happening. Then he remembered spirits weren't animals.

"Who are ya?" he risked asking.

 _I have yet to be given a name by humans. But you may call me Red-Eyes, Joey Wheeler._

That was weird. It was like it was talking directly in his head. And judging from the voice, it was a she.

"How the hell do ya know my name?"

The giant creature seemed to smile.

 _I have been watching over you for a very long time, Joey. I never thought the day would come where you would actually see or hear me. For years, I've watched humans beat and mistreat you. All I could do then was chase away the malevolent spirits trying to take advantage of your weakened soul. At least this once, I am finally able to protect you._

The dragon turned to the Pharaoh and hissed aggressively, showing off her wings and claws. The man kissed his teeth in frustration.

"How does someone like you have a kindred spirit this powerful?"

 _He can sense my aura? Impressive for a human of this day and age._

This was going too fast for his buzzy brain. So basically, he had his own Kisara. But his was a black dragon with red eyes. But now was not the time to think. No matter what was going on, if anything he was glad a miracle had quite literally dropped from the sky. Again, he pushed against the pain and stood up, praying that his knee would hold.

 _Fine mess, you've gotten yourself into this time. You are lucky I found you just in time. The object he carries is dangerous. And I can sense strong spiritual power coming from him._

"Can you help me?"

 _Why do you think I've shown myself, fool? He is bathing in spiritual light. Meaning I can physically touch him. Shall I kill him?_

"What? No, of course not!"

He stopped himself and thought about his words. The guy had just tried to turn his brain to mash, and Joey was definitely not above payback. But he hadn't forgotten why he was here.

"Can ya just immobilize him? I need to ask him somethin'."

 _As you wish._

She showed her teeth, which reminded him of a smile, and extended her wings ready to throw herself at the Egyptian. But before she could, the Pharaoh raised a hand in the air.

"You've sealed your doom, intruder. You might have had a chance engaging in combat with me. But this is a game that I cannot loose. Your demon is no match for my divine protectors. Come forth, Ra!"

The black dragon stiffened and froze, seemingly paralyzed. A reaction Joey'd witnessed in a certain short girl at times when she was strangled with fear. An instant later, a bright ball of yellow flames appeared above the Pharaoh, blinding him. His guts spoke. That was not good.

 _Joey, no matter what happens, stay behind me,_ ordered the black dragon.

* * *

"What did those freaks do to you?" asked the young CEO, holding her face in his hand, examining every inch of it. "You're freezing cold, and you look like a ghost."

Huh. Ishizu had failed to mention that bit when she said she didn't have a fever. She still felt like absolute crap. Her head was on the verge of exploding and overall, she felt like she was evaporating in thin air. What the hell was causing this?

"I'm taking you to a hospital as soon as we're out of this hell hole. This place is so old and filthy, I bet you caught the plague or something."

"Kaiba, how on earth did you even get here? All the exits are closed... I mean, you fell through the ceiling."

The way he looked at her made her feel like she'd stepped on a land-mine. What the hell had he done to get here? He clearly didn't want to discuss it, and after what she'd been through, from getting sacrificed to being attacked in her own dream, she could only imagined what had happened. But he was Kaiba, so there was no way to tell.

"Never mind that. Come on, we have to find the dweebs and get the hell out of here. This place is giving me the creeps."

Her eyes widened in shock. "Dweebs? The others are here too?"

"The mutt, Kisa, Tea and some other guy from school."

Shock struck her a second time, and she grabbed Kaiba by the collar. "Joey's here? He's alright?!"

"That's what I just said, didn't I? Hey!"

Her legs gave in and without any warning, a flow of tears escaped her eyes. It was pure relief. Bringing a hand to her face, as if to convince herself that this was reality, she laughed and sobbed at the same time.

"He's okay. Thank God, he's okay."

"..."

The billionaire stayed quiet, looking away with his sharp eyes. Probably remembering that the last time she'd seen Joey he was bleeding to death. While she digested the information, Kaiba looked around. A new wave of pain hit her, and she grabbed her head. Was it ever going to stop?

"What's wrong?"

"My head. It's killing me." She shivered again. "It has ever since the ceremony."

"That's it, we're leaving," he declared, pulling her up to.

The moment she was on her feet, the headache got worse and she leaned on the wall. The young CEO clenched his teeth in frustration, before turning around and kneeling down.

"Get on," he ordered.

"But..."

"Don't waste my time with the I'm too heavy speech," he interrupted. "You're lighter than Mokuba and God knows how many times I've carried him. Get on."

That was not what she was going to say, but she could talk as they went. And besides, neither knew how to get out of here. They were going to wander around for a while, that gave them plenty of time to talk. But her dress was going to be a problem. Grabbing the bottom, she tore the fabric to mid-thigh before wrapping her arms around his neck and climbing on his back. After he adjusted her on his back, they stepped out of the room into the dark hallway.

"You could've left anytime you wanted?" he asked, as they passed the unlocked doorway.

She shook her head in response. "This place is a maze, I have no idea how to navigate around it. I don't even know how we're going to find the others. I might be able to recognize some of the carvings and take us to the temple."

Kaiba growled again. It wasn't like him to show his irritation so clearly. He liked being in control of, well, everything. It was like he'd used it all up already. But after looking both ways, he decided on one direction and advanced.

"Be careful," she warned him. "The ground is uneven."

He didn't answer. But he didn't trip, not once. His steps were slow and rhythmic, resonating in the darkness. Her head hurt again and she stiffened, waiting for it to leave again. When it did, she leaned her head on his shoulder, exhausted. She closed her eyes a moment, before she realized what was happening and slapped herself as hard as she could. What a complete idiot!

"You can sleep if you want."

"No, I can't," she said so brusquely he frowned. "I really can't."

"What did they do to you?"

This time, he wanted an answer. His tone was clear. But where was she suppose to start? He was skeptical as hell, there was no way he'd buy anything she told him.

"You won't believe me."

"Talk. Why did they bring you here?"

She sighed. "To resurrect an ancient king."

He laughed. A dry laugh, with no sign of amusement whatsoever. "I've heard of cults doing some pretty screwed up things, but resurrecting the dead? How can anyone believe that crap?"

How she wished he was right. "It worked, Kaiba. They took my blood, and they brought him back." She shivered again. But this time, it was because of the memory of the fear and pain of that moment. "I thought... I thought I was going to die."

Another long moment of silence went by. "I'm sorry," he said.

"What? W-Why?"

"I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner. I promise, those bastards are going to pay for this."

She just stared at the back of his head, frozen in surprise. She'd known him for a while, but never, ever, had she heard him apologize before. Anything really was possible after all. But she remembered the Pharaoh. The cold yet unbelievably kind man her blood had brought back. The one who'd sworn to protect her and make sure nothing happened to her again. And the mission he was here to fulfill.

"I saw the Pharaoh," she said. "I spoke with him too. And you're gonna call me nuts for saying this but... I think the reason they brought him back is to save the world."

He abruptly stopped in his track and remained silent for a few long , he opened his mouth again, and she heard the contempt and rage in his voice.

"Ridiculous."

"I know it's insane but..."

"Why the hell does all of this even exist? Talking specters, hell dimensions, resurrecting the dead..."

Okay, that was not the answer she expected to hear from him. He was taking that surprisingly well. Hell, he was reflecting on it! What had happened to him?

"I don't think the Pharaoh is our enemy. He promised to bring me back to you guys... Wait a second, did you say talking specters? You spoke with a spirit?"

"What is the darkness?" He asked instead of answering.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "You know about that too? It's the reason the Pharaoh was brought back, it's a spirit. His name is Zorc. All I know is that he's dangerous. He can attack you in your…."

She didn't get the time to finish when just like before a large shape appeared out of nowhere and crashed on the ground in front of them. Both recognized it instantly.

"Kisara?" they both exclaimed at the same time.

It was the white dragon alright, but dark marks were staining the pure white of her scales and she looked like she had difficulty breathing. Jumping off Kaiba's back, the short girl approached the spirit.

"What happened?" asked Yugi, futilely searching for something to do. "Did Zorc do this to you?"

Just raising her head seemed to take a tremendous amount of effort.

"Seto. ...Yugi. ...Listen, I can't stay long. My injuries are too deep,... I need to go to the spirit world to heal... But you must hurry to the temple. He's coming... you need the Pharaoh...hurry"

With that she vanished before their eyes.

* * *

 **Ya know what I love more than double cliffhangers? Misunderstandings that lead to an awful confrontation between two awesome characters. I wonder how that's gonna go.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	30. Completion

**Holy, I don't think I've ever been so stressed while writing! Hopefully it payed, cause it's nice and long! Phew!**

 **Lowe, here is the payment, along with apologies for the tardiness.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Monster. That was the only thought Joey's mind was capable of processing. For the first time in his life, he was frozen in place, unable to believe what he was seeing. He'd been surprised by Kisara, the hybrid human spirit. He'd been stunned by Red-Eyes, his apparent guardian angel. But that thing... It looked like a bird, dragon hybrid of some sort. Its feather scales were the color of gold, and it was much much bigger than the black dragon. But what struck him the most, was what his instincts picked up on. Fear. Gut-grabbing fear. He couldn't do anything, not even escape. That fact was obvious enough. Was that what it felt like to be an ant facing a shoe? The odds had always been against him, and always, he'd never stopped pushing back. That was just who he was. But in this moment... he didn't think he could. His own insignificance hit him like a slap in the face. And his only line of defense against that gigantic beast, was Red-Eyes. But even the spirit seemed to be sweating buckets of nervousness.

 _Joey, don't move,_ the black dragon ordered, before taking off to put herself to the face level of the monster, four times her size.

She opened her mouth and spat out streams of fire resembling flaming meteorites. All three hit their target in the face, and the heatwave was strong enough to make both Joey and the Pharaoh to raise their arms to protect their faces from the flying debris. The giant bird recoiled and growled. But once the dust fell... there wasn't even a scratch on him. The spirit screamed as if the attack had angered him more than anything.

"Impressive. Your kindred spirit is strong. I've never seen the likes of you be able to attract such a beast," said the Pharaoh, raising a hand towards the sky. "However, as I've said before, no spirit is powerful enough against one who was once revered as a God. Ra! Vanquish those who dare desecrate the holy grounds!"

Responding to the command, the monstrous spirit opened it's beak and a ball of light formed in it, growing bigger by the second and making the sound of a charging laser canon from a sci-fi movie. But he couldn't move. It was pointless to move. He couldn't escape that. When Ra lowered its head to aim at him, Red-Eyes dived falcon style.

 _JOEY, DUCK!_

She'd barely landed in front of him and extended her wings protectively before the ray of yellow flames hit her in the back. She let out a screech of pain but refused to move. Despite being shielded, Joey turned away to protect his face from the scorching heatwave that the attack was producing. Damn it, it was like his flesh was being vaporized off his bones! He only opened his eyes when it died, and they widened in panic when the black dragon crashed on the ground at his feet.

"Red-Eyes!" he called out, unsure of what to do. "Can ya hear me? Say somethin'!"

The spirit looked up at him, eyes filled with pain. She was burned pretty badly. Her wings had been torn and an awful smell of burned flesh reached his nose. But against all odds, she pushed herself up again, her movements slow and clumsy. She turned to face the Pharaoh. The look on his face clearly betrayed shock.

"I don't understand. No ordinary malevolent spirit has ever been able to withstand the flames of Ra. Has the darkness been feeding that beast? In any case, she will not resist a second hit."

 _I will burn a thousand times over before I let anyone lay a hand on my human_ , she said before showing her teeth at the Pharaoh.

"Finish this," ordered the ancient king, mercilessly.

Red-Eyes fired another meteorite at Ra, but it only bounced off his scales, and the monster closed its enormous jaws on her wounded body and she cried out in pain again as he lifted her into the air.

"Hey, let her go, ya giant bird-brain!"

Of course, the monster was deaf to his command and squeezed tighter. The Pharaoh then spoke directly to Red-Eyes.

"Go back to the spirit world if you do not wish to be destroyed, black dragon."

Joey clenched his teeth. What the hell could he do besides watch? He hadn't been prepared for this. What could he do against a monster like this? But Red-Eyes, despite the pain, stubbornly struggled in Ra's grasp, and with one desperate last move, she shoved her claws into his eyes. The larger spirit roared in pain, releasing her and she fell.

 _Run, you fool_ , were the last words she said, as she vanished before hitting the ground.

"Stubborn creature, I'll give her that," commented the Pharaoh. "But stubbornness is a trait that befits the strong more than the barking."

Anger spiked in Joey again. His heart ached, like he'd just lost a very old friend. It didn't matter if he'd only known the spirit for a few minutes, she'd risked her life to protect him. Where was that guy getting off, stepping on her efforts like that? That made him forget about the pain.

"Who the hell do ya think ya are, ya freak? Ya don't get to make that kind of comment when all you do is hide behind yar monster!"

The Pharaoh scoffed at him, unamused. "You're one to talk, intruder. You summoned your beast first because you were loosing. Those are the actions of a coward."

"Pharaoh, what is happening?" called out a new voice. "I heard spirits scream..."

The Pharaoh turned his attention to one of the entrances. A young woman with dark skin, wearing a strange white dress entered the temple and froze in surprise when she saw the blond boy and the black dragon.

"An intruder? How have you entered this place?" she said, clearly panicked. "I verified myself, all the exits were sealed properly. It should impossible for any human to get in."

"It matters not, priestess. He will not be a burden for much longer." The Pharaoh turned to his spirit, who was still writhing. "I've never seen Ra be injured by a spirit other than the Dark One himself. I don't know where you came from but this ends now. Ra doesn't need to see you to hit you."

Shit. Despite Red-Eyes' warning, there was no running from that. His instincts had never worked against him before, but this time, they were paralyzing him. Damn it. He was Joey freakin' Wheeler, he always found a way out, no matter how tough the situation was. That's when he remembered he still had one weapon to his disposition. His big mouth.

"You callin' me a coward but ya're about to let yar monster do yar dirty work for ya, ya hypocrite. Ya scared of takin' me on again?"

The Egyptian seemed to be taken aback by the insolence.

"This coming from the coward himself?" he replied, crossing his arms on his chest. "Are you hoping to escape your fate by spouting nonsense?"

"Ya didn't hear me call for Red-Eyes, did ya? She came on her own. I'd say the only coward in this room is the one hidin' behind his guard dog."

Joey smirked at the man. His body was still aching all over, especially his knee. But a hand to hand fight was the only way to get out of this mess. He just needed enough time for a distraction and then run for it. He just hoped that the guy's pride wasn't letting him be deaf to his taunts unlike moneybags'. The jerk was immune to anything Joey had to say. He held his breath as the Pharaoh stared at him with eyes more piercing than a knife. It went on for what felt like hours, until the ancient king told Ra to return to the spirit world to heal. Good because that might just save his life. With a quick and impatient stride, the Egyptian came down from the platform.

"I will show you that I need no spirit or weapon to handle the likes of you."

Reactive as ever, Joey got on guard and pain shot through his leg.

'Suck it up, Joey.' He clenched his teeth. 'Ya got no room for mistake.'

The moment the Pharaoh was in range, he sprang forward ignoring the pain in his leg and threw a fist. He realized too late that he was aiming too high. The intensity and presence his opponent was emitting was making him seem taller than he actually was. All he had to do was duck to avoid the punch. Next thing he knew, Joey felt the concrete fist collide with his stomach. The strike was so strong that it not only forced the air out of his lungs, but made him vomit. But before he could even start falling, the same hand that had hit him closed on his neck and slammed him against the wall. But the pain in his back and leg was now nothing to the one in his throat and lungs. He needed air. The gastric acid was burning his throat and it felt like his neck was going to snap any second. He clutched and scratched at the Pharaoh's arm, but the man wasn't twitching.

"You are a fool. You could've had a quick death. All you've won are a few moments and a lot of pain."

"Looks like...I was...wrong..." said Joey with what little air he was getting as he kept struggling. "Ya're... the real monster..."

"I protect what needs protecting," declared the Pharaoh, giving him a serious look. "That requires strength. And I cannot afford to have pity for those who interfere with my work. Stop struggling. You are only making this harder."

The pain was slowly fading, but only because his consciousness was barely holding up. No. No! He wasn't done yet. He had to find Yugi. He couldn't give up until he found her. But no matter how hard he struggled or how deep his nails dug into the Egyptian's skin, the latter didn't flinch.

"No way...in hell... I ain't... finished yet... I have to find...her...I ain't gonna stop... Not until... I get to her...Arg..."

The Pharaoh shook his head, watching the pitiful sight.

"I take back my words; you are truly impressive. But this has gone on long enough." With that, he raised his free hand and slowly approached it from his face. "Allow me to ease your pain."

'No. Damn it, no! Yugi...'

"PHARAOH!"

The voice rang in their ears. The ancient king froze in his movement and turned to the entrance on the opposite side of the room. Surprise struck him when he saw Yugi in the doorframe. A tall figure stood behind her in the shadows. She was out of breath and panic showed on her face.

"Yugi, you're awake? Who is this with you?"

"Hands off the mutt, psycho."

"Please don't hurt him," Yugi begged. "He's my friend!"

Shock struck the ancient king. "You're friend?"

The instant he said that, his grip on Joey's loosened and the blond slid down the wall until he hit the floor, coughing his lungs out to kill the burn in his throat and inhaling deeply to regain the air his lungs were screaming for. That was close. Way too close. He was still fighting the urge to slip into unconsciousness. Then two small hands grabbed his shoulders.

"Joey. Joey!" her voice called out. "Can you hear me? Say something. Tell me you're okay!"

He wasn't dreaming, was he? After gaining a somewhat stable breathing rhythm, he focused on the one calling him.

"Yug...I ain't dead, am I? Ya're really here?"

A smile of pure relief stretched out across her face. "Yeah... Yeah you're alive. I'm here."

The realization hit him and his eyes widened. Suddenly, all the pain was just secondary concern. Before she knew it, his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled him against him.

"J-Joey?"

God had answered his prayer. But it was almost too good to be true, so he tightened his hold on her, fearing that it might be just a vivid dream. She stayed still confused at first, but she felt him shake against her, like a frightened kid.

"Thanks Yug..." he whispered, barely audibly. "Thanks for bein' alright."

Those words released a hurricane of emotions in her that almost choked her, and escaped in the form of an ocean of tears. Her heart throbbed in her chest threatening to pop out of happiness. Letting her feeling dictate her movement, she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck.

"Thank you for finding me," she said, with a choked voice.

That warmth... Joey's warmth. It was wrapped around her, keeping her safe like a warm blanket. She'd missed that so much. They held each other for long moments, neither wanting to let go. Joey chuckled.

"Hey, no fair. I was supposed to rescue ya, not the other way around."

She giggled. "Yeah well, I told you I'd get a turn watching out for you."

"Ya never said that."

"I was thinking it."

Finally, he released her to look at her face. Yugi wiped her eyes, and he grabbed her shoulders.

"Ya hurt anywhere? Did they do anythin' to ya? Tell me ya're in one piece."

She hesitated. Now wasn't really the best time to go into detail about the sacrifice and all. He'd freak and everything would get worse. "I-I should be asking you that. Your nose..."

"Oh yeah. I'm pretty sure my knee's popped and I got a cracked rib."

Yugi brought her hand up to touch his face, but Kaiba who they'd both forgotten about knelt down besides them, and without any warning grabbed the blond's nose and roughly pulled on it.

"OW! What the hell, moneybags? What's your problem?"

"Someone needs to remind you two that we're in enemy territory," scolded the billionaire. "And be grateful mutt. I saved you from having a crooked nose."

"Ya could've warned me first!" He protested before blowing blood out of his nostrils.

"Heads up."

"What... "

An uncomfortable sensation travelled throughout Yugi's body when the young CEO put his hand on the injured knee, and a second later, Joey screamed.

"OW! Son of a bitch, that hurts! Damn it, Kaiba!"

"It's not dislocated." Taking Joey's own knife out of his pocket, he cut the sewing of his sleeve around the shoulder to rip it off and pass it to the injuered boy. "Bind it. It'll do for now."

Joey made the same face at the black sleeve that someone would at expired food. "Ya're creepin' me out, moneybags."

"I need you on your feet Wheeler. Canon fodder can always be useful. And I get a feeling we'll need it when we get out of here. Hurry up, mutt."

"Screw you too, jackass."

Reluctantly, the injured boy did what he was told, wrapping the piece of expensive fabric around his sprained knee. While he did that, the billionaire stood up and faced the Pharaoh and Ishizu who had joined them. They just stared at each other in silence for a few long seconds.

"You're the Pharaoh, right? I have a message from Kisara."

"So that's where she's been," said Ishizu. "No wonder she'd be attracted to the heir of Seth. She must've been the one to lead you here."

Kaiba ignored her and continued. "He's coming. That's her message. Now here's what I have to say to you, clowns. You're going to pay dearly for what you've done. I promise you, the second I get out of here, I am going to make your lives miserable. I don't give a damn about your freak show, and I don't buy your saving the world crap."

"Kaiba wait," said Yugi. "They're..."

"The Pharaoh has nothing to do with Yugi's abduction," interrupted the priestess. "I am Ishizu Ishtar, sister of Marik Ishtar. We, the Tomb Keepers a sole responsible. The sacrificial ceremony was performed by none other than myself. I am the one who collected the Pure One's blood."

Kaiba's eyes threw daggers at her. "I don't take kindly to kidnapping, torture and attempted murder. But human sacrifice tops the list by far."

"Bringing the Pharaoh back was our doing and only our own. So please, if one must suffer the consequences of our actions, it should be I. But you must understand; the Pharaoh is needed here. He is the only one who can fight the darkness."

Joey had stayed silent, this whole time, which for him was incredible. Now he'd caught up a little on what had happened here. But he was done being quiet. Getting back on his feet he joined Kaiba.

"Do ya hear yarself talk?" he said with a low voice, resembling the growling of an angry dog. "Ya used the living to bring back the dead? What kind of screwed up logic is that?"

The Pharaoh looked at the priestess, reminding Yugi of how he'd reacted when she asked if her sacrifice was justified. He didn't understand that part of the equation either. And Ishizu made the same face as before. Sad eyes, shame showing and yet, not hiding anything.

"I am a priestess, I follow the prophecies as they are dictated to me. But my sins are far too great to be forgotten. I am prepared for my punishment, whatever it may be. But what's done is done. Now my only duty, it to protect the Pharaoh and make sure he is fully restored to fight the darkness."

It wasn't an excuse, but to the boys, it sure as hell sounded like one. The fire in their eyes was in perfect synch and emitted the same level of rage. Both were ready to tear out throats. This was the first time Yugi saw the both of them agree about anything. But this couldn't go on. Kisara had warned them, and this was not the time to start another fight. She faced her friends.

"Guys! Calm down, please. It's not the time..."

"Goddammit, Yugi!" shouted Kaiba making her jump. "You're seriously going to defend them? Don't screw with me! There's a limit to how naive and forgiving even you can be!"

"He's right. Don't be an idiot, Yug. They almost killed you!"

Holy... She'd never seen Kaiba explode and loose his cool like that. Scary. But not nearly as scary as what was coming or what she'd been through in the past few weeks. And she needed them to listen now.

"You think I don't know that?" she shouted back. "I was the one they cut open! I was terrified, I'm angry and I still don't understand why it happened to me. But it's not about that. That thing... the darkness. He's a monster, a living nightmare. He almost killed me in my sleep, for crying out loud!"

Both boys looked at her, struck dumb. First off, this was probably the loudest she'd ever screamed. Second, what she was saying sounded both ridiculous and terrifying. But it was the truth.

"I know it's hard to swallow," she said, quieter but with just as much insistence. "But you've seen the spirits, and what's happening outside. I saw that thing. It's real and it's coming. If there's the slightest chance that they can stop him, then we have to let them do it. Anything else is secondary."

The face Joey made almost tore her heart out of her chest. "Secondary? Yug, it's yar life we're talkin' about here."

"I know, I really do. It has nothing to do with forgiving them or accepting what they've done. But I believe the Pharaoh can do something about Zorc. You don't have to trust them. But please, trust me."

"You know something," said Kaiba. It wasn't a question, he was reading her like an open book. "You know something we don't. Spill."

She sighed. "Zorc, the Dark One... he's after me. I don't know why. Someone told him about me."

Again, silence fell on the room. Of course, the first to recover was the ice king himself.

"We're out of here," declared Kaiba. "We find the others and we bail. I don't want you spending another second here, and they sure as hell aren't using you as bait."

"Ishizu," said the Pharaoh, finally speaking. "Have Odion and Marik help look for the rest of them. Then open a door for them and let them out."

The trio looked at him, eyes wide open. "I don't get it," said Joey. "Why are ya helpin' us? Five minutes ago, ya were gonna send me to the other side."

"I apologize for that," said the ancient king, sincerely. "I thought you were trying to get your hands on the Pure One for your own benefit. Most intruders have selfish goals in mind."

"And talkin' things out is above ya?"

This time, the Egyptian raised an eyebrow. "You were not exactly open to conversation yourself."

The blond boy sweat dropped and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, fair point."

"To answer your question, I promised Yugi I'd take her home when my full strength had returned. But it seemed you were faster. I have no intention of exposing her to anymore danger."

"But isn't it gonna take us forever to find the others?"

"With the help of some spirits, sweeping the undergrounds should be quick."

Yugi frowned, looking down. Something was off. "Pharaoh, are you sure?"

The ancient king smiled at her, and placed a gentle hand on her cheek. "I am able to keep my promise to you sooner than expected. I have no need for you here, Yugi. Zorc will come after me, I'd feel much more at ease to know you away from here."

His eyes were so gentle and filled with kindness. He meant every word he was saying. So what was wrong? Why did she feel like something was going to go horribly wrong? Another shiver shook her.

"Forgive me ,Pharaoh," said Ishizu. "But I cannot grant your request. The gates must stay sealed. We cannot allow the spiritual flow in the undergrounds to be broken."

The priestess looked nervous, avoiding the eyes of the Pharaoh. Yugi hadn't known her for long, but she'd noticed that Ishizu was normally very straightforward, and always looking at people directly in the eyes. If there was anything she trusted about herself, it was her observing skills. That's what made her so good at games. She was sure of it now, something was wrong. And it didn't have to do with the Dark One.

"Opening one gate for a few seconds shouldn't have too much effect on the flow," replied the short man. "This is not a request, Ishizu. It's an order."

"One I cannot follow, my king."

"Pardon?" The Pharaoh said, frowning.

"I wasn't joking when I said I'd make your life a living hell," said Kaiba, stepping. "Don't think I have any issues with getting my hands dirty to get what I want."

"Do what you want to me," she said, drops of sweat now visible on her face. "I will not open the gates."

At that precise moment, violent tremors shook Yugi's body to her core. In an instant, her vision blurred, pain shot through her head, ten times stronger than before. Her teeth chattered and she fell, unable to feel her legs. The cold. The cold was attacking her again.

"Yugi!" called out multiple voices.

Joey dropped to the ground next to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"My hands... I can't feel my hands."

Bringing shaking hands up, she was that her fingers were turning purplish. Frostbite. Numb and painful at the same time. "It's cold. It's so cold..."

"Cold? It's burnin' hot in here."

A hand, Kaiba's she assumed, touched her forehead, burning and yet unable to provide any sort of warmth. Why was it so hard to breath? "Her skin is like ice. What the hell did you do to her, you witch?"

"Priestess!" shouted the Pharaoh. "What is the meaning of this? What have you been hiding? Answer me!"

"The ceremony is being completed..." said Ishizu, struggling to speak as if the words were tearing through her throat.

"What the hell does that mean?" growled Kaiba.

"Five thousand years ago, Pharaoh, you gave up two things to seal away the Dark One. Your name and half of your soul. The other half was kept within the Millennium Puzzle. For you to be complete, you need a living body as well as a complete soul."

Horror struck the ancient king's face. "Do you mean to tell me, that this entire time, I've been sucking out the Pure One's soul to complete my own?"

She nodded, and the short man grabbed her by the collar. "Stop it. Whatever it is that's taking her essence, stop it. That's an order from your king, priestess!"

"I cannot do this!" she shouted this time, tears streaming down her face. "I wish there was another way. But you are the only one that can fight the Dark One, my Pharaoh. And you can't do it without being whole. If you lose this fight, humanity will fall. "

"Well, doesn't that sound absolutely delightful?"

All of them froze instantly. The voice that resonated throughout the room was deep and carried an aura of malevolence with it. Joey and Kaiba both felt it at the core of their souls. There was no more room for skepticism. The incarnation of pure evil was slowly making it's way to the temple, and the air around them reeked of rotting corpses. A deep chuckle followed, as approaching footsteps echoed in the hallway.

* * *

 **Can you say climax/epic showdown/angst/suspense/horrible cliffhanger comin' up? :)**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	31. Zorc

**Sorry for tardiness, I was busy. Sorry for the typos, but I sped wrote this one and I didn't have time to go over it.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The one who stepped into the temple was a bare-chested Bakura. But half of his body was covered in black marks. The shadows around him moved, making them look alive somehow. Yugi couldn't look away. Her freezing body and cursed headache were minor inconveniences compared to the thing she was seeing. Tremors of fear shook her and everyone else around. Joey and Kaiba, usually so reactive, were paralyzed and just like her unable to look away. Only the Pharaoh was managing to keep a straight face.

"Akefia..." he said, voice filled with contempt.

"Sounds like you've remembered the Thief King, Pharaoh," replied a voice that clearly belonged to something inhuman. "However, he is not the one you should worry about presently."

The same thing that had spoken to her in her dream. The shadow man. Zorc. But this sensation was worse. So much worse than in her dreams. Joey's hands were shaking against her. Ishizu's face was struck with terror. The drops of sweat dripping down Kaiba's face was impossible to miss. They were all terrified. The tension in the air was so thick, you could cut through it with a butter knife.

"The looks on your faces is priceless," said the spirit through Bakura.

"Do you think I will let you do as you please, monster?" said the Pharaoh. "You've poisoned my land and my people for far too long. This ends here and now. Slifer! Ra! Obelisk! Come for... Arg!"

"Pharaoh!" exclaimed Ishizu, as the ancient king brought both hand to his chest and fell down on one knee. "What's wrong?"

"My insides... they're burning!"

"Even the priestess knows," said Zorc, a nasty smirk stretching out across his face. "It's impossible to summon that many divine protectors with a half-baked soul. That and to give them physical form, you need to be surrounded by spiritual energy. Not minding your surroundings in battle is an amateur mistake, Pharaoh."

Panic struck Ishizu and she whipped around. On the platform, facing the open spirit gate,were Marik and Odion. Both were muttering something incomprehensible that resembled a chant, and had their hands raised up. Before any of them could say anything, the gate then slowly started closing.

"You fools!," the priestess shouted, as she raced up the stairs to the platform. "What are you doing?"

They turned around and faced them. Their eyes were pitch black, and black stains were tainting their skin. They didn't answer and seemed to have no consciousness whatsoever. Puppets of the shadows, unable to think for themselves.

"What have you done to them?" shouted Ishizu, for once clearly letting her emotions get the best of her.

"You should thank me, wench," replied Zorc. "After all, they are still breathing."

"Only because you want to corrupt them," growled the Pharaoh, pushing himself back to his feet. "You're going to pay for that, Dark One."

"You should have kept a better eye on your things, Pharaoh. First you lost your friends, your kingdom, half of your soul, your life, then your servants. And now, you're about to lose it all over again. But we'll get to that in a moment. First things first."

No one had eyes fast enough to follow. He sunk into the ground and disappeared. The next they knew, Ishizu screamed in pain, and all of them turned around. Zorc was in front of her, shoving Bakura's knife in her stomach. Yugi's stomach turned and she opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out. The Dark One twisted the blade and the priestess vomited blood.

"Ishizu!" shouted the Pharaoh, about to spring forward.

But the pain in his chest struck again, stopping him. Zorc ignored him and spoke to his bloody victim.

"You're the only other one who can open the spirit gate, and we wouldn't want that now, would we?I have really no interest in you. Sorry...This just isn't your lucky day. Oh, and there's one thing you ought to know before you face the Gods for your sins ; there was never any need for you to sacrifice the Pure One."

That declaration threw another cold and anxiety filled silence in the room. Yugi felt her heart freeze in her chest. What was he talking about?

"N-No...it's impossible..." said the priestess, in between strangled gargles. "The prophecy...The prophecy of the Tomb Keepers..."

"Was a lie. The one who carved that prophecy was none other than the Thief King to get you to resurrect the Pharaoh so he could exact his revenge." Zorc chuckled. "You thought you were carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, but in reality, you were just a pawn in a much bigger game. Take your time dying. I'll enjoy the despair on your face."

With that, he mercilessly pulled the knife out of her, letting the blood turn her white dress crimson. She fell to the ground without a sound, a look of betrayal and tears on her face. Zorc brought the knife to his face and licked the blade.

"Hmm, tasty," he said as he approached the edge of the platform and looked down on them. "But nowhere near as tasty as you, Pure One."

"Joey! Kaiba!" shouted the Pharaoh. "Get her out of here, now!"

Both seemed to be shocked by tasers, and instantly regained their capacity of movement. Yugi found herself lifted up into Joey's arms and both boys raced towards the entrance.

"It's pointless. No one can escape my darkness."

As if they had a mind of their own, the snake like shadows dashed forward. The Pharaoh forced himself up again, and extended a hand forward. The Millennium Puzzle glowed as he shouted.

"I won't let you!"

A wave of energy shot forward, but the shadows separated in two, dodging it and dashed passed the ancient king and the boys, only to rise up and block the way out. They were just shadows, but the boys knew better than to try to get through. They tried to make it to the other exit, but the shadows were faster. And of course, the two exits behind the platform were out of reach.

"Damn it!" cursed Kaiba, looking back and forth between Zorc and his living shadows.

"Alright, enough games," said the spirit snapping his fingers.

This time, their own shadows expanded, taking snake-like shapes as well and wrapping around their limbs, bringing them to their knees. When Joey got entangled, it forced him to drop Yugi who crashed on the floor. Pain shot through her still freezing body. She tried to get up, but all she managed was pushing herself up to her elbows. All that because her soul was being slowly sucked away? Fear strangled her and she watched helplessly as the three men were being assailed by their own shadows.

"Oh, how rude of me," said Zorc, stepping down from the platform. "I forgot we have another guest."

Kneeling down, he reached into his shadows, and pulled out an entire person out of it. A person with long snow white hair. And she looked exhausted, but was still visibly shaking in fear.

"Kisara?" exclaimed the Pharaoh, confused.

"Class rep!" shouted Joey.

"Bastard, what did you do to her?" growled Kaiba.

"Nothing. We just had a little chat. I have to say, I've learned some very interesting things. I plan to have as much fun as I can with it."

With a kick to the back, he pushed her to the ground near the group. She looked at them, eyes terror-filled, and tears streaming down her face.

"I'm so sorry..."

The three classmates didn't understand. Why was she apologizing for?

"I had given up on you, Pharaoh. Staying locked up for five millennia was... irritating to say the least, but since you were dead, it was no use crying over the past. I am, as you know, very patient. So imagine my surprise when the Thief King told me you had been brought back from the dead. Not only that, but I get the heirs of Seth and his wench as well. How appropriate. I have to say, it's a real treat for me. You all have so much despair and pain at the core of your souls, it makes me drool with excitement."

The way he said that sent shivers down her spine, and the short girl remembered Kuriboh being swallowed by the shadows in her dream. Zorc came closer to Kaiba and observed him for a moment before licking his lips.

"I swear to God, you freak, you touch me and I will..."

He didn't get the time to finish when Zorc grabbed his face and brought his head closer. "Just like Seth. Too prideful and arrogant to even understand the position he's in. Let us see just how similar you and your predecessor were."

The malevolent spirit places a hand on the billionaire's forehead Kaiba's eyes widened and turned black.

"Stop!" shouted Kisa, visibly knowing what was happening. "Leave him alone!"

"Cry more, girl. I'll enjoy it that much more," replied the monster, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. "My, how broken can one be I wonder. Only yourself to rely on, never trusting anyone... So much work to hide your true facade. You thought you could squash it for good along with all of your weakness. But the only way to do that would've been to crush those few people you care about. You couldn't do it, could you? How pathetic."

He was reading him. Reading his life. Just like Pegasus had tried to do to her. She remembered the godawful feeling of being invaded to your very core and stripped of all your defenses. And for Kaiba, she could only imagine how distressful it could be. The young CEO was sweating so much, his turtleneck was getting wet. He seemed to have lost his ability to blink. "Stop..." he said, panting. "Stop!"

"Your pain is delicious. I can feel it still growing right this moment. It's atrocious isn't it? Seeing the one you love slipping from your grasp and going to another? You poor thing."

"The hell... are you talking about?"

"You can't fool me, human. I can sense pain as easily as a wolf can smell a bleeding prey. I see everything."

"Please stop!" begged Kisa, futilely trying to break free from the shadows holding her.

He ignored her but released Kaiba, whose face was now covered in sweat and he breathed heavily as his eyes slowly returned to normal. But the spirit wasn't done. He moved over to Joey this time. Instead of threatening like Kaiba, the blond tried breaking free from his binds, but it was pointless.

"Your face is unknown to me. You're not an heir," Zorc said, intrigued. "Quite the rowdy one, aren't you?"

"Touch me and I'll bite ya're hand off, motherfu..."

But just as with Kaiba, when the spirit leaned forward and looked at him in the eyes, they turned black and he was silenced, incapable of blinking or moving. And the monster seemed delighted.

"Now that is what I call pain. And I thought the heir was broken. No wonder I could smell it from a mile away. So much loss. Your mother, your sister, your father... Impressive. How have you been able to retain a clean soul with all of this negative impact? Something must've taken pity on your sorry self. I don't see any other explanation. No human can withstand that much pain without consequences."

Clenching his teeth, Joey tried to control his breathing and despite them being pitch black, his eyes still showed anger. "Ya're... the second...freakin'... monster to peek at my brain...today... Ya freaks are...all the same... Get the...hell off of me!"

Zorc shook his head, smirking at him. "Amusing. Humans really are just like dogs. Even when they have no chance of survival, they still bark, thinking they can be helped. I really don't miss that side of humanity. Well, well, what's this? Hahahaha! This is quite amusing really. You also have feelings for the Pure One? What a strange reunion this is. Hahaha!"

Still laughing, he turned away from Joey and looked at Yugi who held her breath. How was she suppose to keep up with everything that was going on around her and her headache? All of that information being dumped on her was only making it worse!

"I wonder, little one. Which one do you fancy? Well, it does not really matter."

He walked towards Kisa, grabbed her hair and pulled her up. While she looked at him with fear, he had the eyes of a madman about to slaughter his prey and enjoy it.

"You, you are by far the one suffering the most. Tearing yourself apart between your own feelings and the happinesses of your friend and of the heir of Seth. An endless cycle of self-sacrifice pain and regret. Is it because you're the heir of his wench? If so, you are carrying a five thousand year old burden never meant to be yours. How tragic... how delicious."

Letting her go, he started laughing again. A hysterical laughter that echoed throughout the undergrounds, and made their bones tremble with anxiety.

"Truly, I must thank you, Akefia," he said to the absent Bakura. "So much pain, so much chaos. You're all torn apart by your own suffering and regrets and yet, you have such strong and solid souls! Is all of humanity like this now? Or did fate just happen to deliver me the gems of this era? In any case, this is glorious! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"You are just as mad as you were five thousand years ago, Dark One!" shouted the Pharaoh, the only of them seemingly still able to keep it together. "Your sick obsessions have ended your life as a human, and they will be the death of you as a malevolent being as well!"

"Strong words coming from a man on his knees. Speaking of, I almost forgot. I have no more need for the key to my prison. So how about I return it to you," he paused briefly, "Pharaoh Atem."

At the sound of his name, the ancient king growled and writhed in obvious pain. What was that thing doing to them without more than a touch?

"Painful isn't it? Having all of your memories being forced back in at once. Every detail, every bloodstain, every dead corpse of your friends falling while you remain standing... Remember all of that? I do. I remember their flesh tearing, their skulls cracking, the cry of their spirits as I consumed them. That beautiful melody of screams and death... I still hum it to myself."

Clenching his teeth as he fought the pain, Atem forced himself to look up at the monster. "Don't forget, vermin. This bloody song is also a reminder of your defeat at the hands of us, lowly humans."

For the first time, Zorc's smiled vanished and he once again pulled out Bakura's knife, bringing it at the Pharaoh's throat.

"Your comments are far beneath me, little king. But I am not above adding more pain to my collection."

"Stop it."

The words left her mouth before she realized it. But they had, and it was enough to get the spirit's attention. He looked at her surprised before his nasty grin returned. His eyes were glowing with excitement and madness, and if her body could tense up anymore, she was certain a bone would snap under the pressure. Her breathing got deeper just by holding his glare. This thing was impossible to beat, not while he had his shadows. He could and would crush them all like bugs. The only thing they had left was bargaining. With all the strength she could summon, she pushed herself up on her knees. Still shaking with all her might, she forced herself to keep her eyes on him.

"I-It's me you want, right? Look, you can have me, alright? Just... p-please, leave them alone."

"What?" exclaimed Kisa. "Yugi, no!"

"Don't be an idiot," said Kaiba.

"Run for it!" shouted Joey, clearly not thinking about her current state. "Get away from him!"

But she didn't move. Not that she could if she tried, but it was intentional. There was no other way to play this. But the deep chuckled of the monster told her that it wasn't going to work.

"Adorable, really."

Making his way to her, he suddenly grabbed her by the neck and pulled her up to her feet.

"Yug! Son of a bitch, keep your hands off her!"

Zorc ignored Joey and focused on her. "You think negotiating with me is going to work? The whole world belongs to me and humanity is my plaything. Your little offer is meaningless. You're already mine, Pure One. And I plan to make a feast out of you. After all, you are the whole reason I decided to ally myself with the Thief King. As for your little friends, they're next."

There was nothing to do. This monster was too strong. The Pharaoh couldn't do anything with half a soul. The spirits couldn't help while the spirit gate was closed. This feeling of despair choked her even more than Zorc's hand. Her thoughts showed on her face, because his smirk widened even more.

"W-Why...would you do any of this?" she asked, tears dripping down her eyes. "What do you get from this?"

"I do not need a reason, little Yugi. I am the very incarnation of greed and desire. I want everything and I want to do with it as I please. That was impossible to achieve as a human, so I became something else. I enjoy pain and chaos. I feed off fear and misery. But you do not need to worry. You won't die. I won't let you die. I'll make you feel despair so deep, you'll give in and your soul will rot. Allow me to give you a taste of what..."

He suddenly paused and looked surprise, then annoyed. "Damn it, Akefia what do you want? I'm busy." Another pause. "Alright fine. Make it quick. I'm starving."

His grasp on her neck loosened and she fell to the ground, inhaling deeply to recover the oxygen she needed. But when she looked back at him, it was no longer Zorc. No, that angry face belonged to someone else entirely.

"Bakura?" she muttered.

But her classmate was entirely focused on the Pharaoh. Atem was looking back, but there was no confusion on his face this time. He knew the man in front of him.

"Hello, Pharaoh. It's been a while. Remember me now?"

"Have you lost your mind, Thief King?" said the Pharaoh. "Becoming the vessel of that monster? Is the destruction of humanity a price you're willing to pay for your revenge?"

"This world can go to hell for all I care. I've been alive for five thousand years waiting for this day. I've killed, I've tortured, I've stolen. What makes you think I'm going to chicken out now?"

"Your vengeance in unjustified and misguided. My father was not the one who sacrificed your people for the Millennium Items."

"Yet, you and your council had no trouble using them as you pleased."

"I had to protect my people. I had no other choice!"

Bakura brought his hands up and they shook almost as much as Yugi did. "It's been so long, but I still hear their screams at night. I see their dead faces staring at me. I see their souls being sucked out of their bodies and locked inside those cursed pieces of gold! I stayed alive to see this through. Someone needs to pay. Someone needs to endure the suffering that they've endured!"

"Does that mean the innocent should pay as well? I am the only one you have issues with. Let them go."

"Every damn soul that makes up your Millennium Puzzle was innocent too. They didn't get spared because of it. Anyone who needs to be sacrificed will be. You only have half a soul. That means that when you die, the other side will reject you and you'll have no choice but to become a wandering fragment, aimlessly walking this world for eternity, alone. And I will finally be at peace."

"But so will Yugi!" insisted Atem.

"What of it? I made up my mind five millennia ago. There is no limit to the price I'm willing to pay."

With that, he whipped around, ignoring the Pharaoh who tried to extend the conversation. Bakura eyes the three people tied up by the shadows, meticulously examining them one by one. Kaiba and Joey were throwing him a death glare. But Kisa tried to talk some sense into him.

"Bakura please, let us go. You're blinded by rage, but don't want this. You're tainted by evil!"

"Tch, You speak just like the white dragon. Save it. You all are nothing to me."

Yugi paused on those last words her friend had said. Tainted by evil? Why was that important? Oh, God, her head. Her eyes then fell on the Puzzle around the ancient King's neck. It somehow confirmed that she was right to think about that. She didn't get time to think it over. Bakura kicked her in the side to flip her on her back.

"Sorry about that half-pint. You're necessary collateral damage. It doesn't really matter. Soon, everything will fall."

Why did he sound so sad? "Bakura, you..."

"Ah, finally," said a deeper voice that made her nearly jump out of her skin. "Now that we got this out of the way, let us get back to what we were doing, shall we?"

Shadows wrapped around Yugi's waist and pulled her up, closer to him. The malevolent spirit in Bakura's body licked his lips. Panic struck her and she tried to get free, but Zorc cupped her cheeks and made her look up at him.

"I warned you; our first meeting wasn't nearly as painful as this one is going to be."

* * *

 **If that ain't a pickle, I don't know what is. Can they get out of this by themselves? If not, who can save them?**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	32. Final shadow game

**Guess who's on time for a change? The only downside? I'm pretty sure we're having a second winter here after one beautiful week of spring. I love the place, but weather wise...meh.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

They were all trapped like rats. Yugi was about to be devoured by that monster. Which was roughly the same as dying. So why did it feel so different from the ceremony, where she thought she was done for, too? She should scream, panic, beg... For sure, she was still shaking. But why was she still thinking about Kisa's words? Tainted by evil. Bakura was tainted by evil. The thought wouldn't leave her head. The monster in front of her was about to eat her whole. But the thought persisted. Evil didn't belong in people. It was a disease, a plague meant to be destroyed, to be chased away no matter how many times it came back. Her eyes turned to the pharaoh again, and gazed at the Millennium Puzzle. No... She couldn't... Could she?

"What is the matter?" asked Zorc. "Have you lost your tongue? This is usually the part where you beg. Not that it would do you any good."

He was talking to her, but her mind discarded it as a distraction and wouldn't let her focus on his words. Atem had told her that without a vessel, the spirit could only do so much. Bakura was the vessel, allowing him to use his power. Technically, she had been a vessel too. A small spark of hope tickled her heart. So maybe... just maybe... A tight squeeze on her jaw made her cry out in pain and look back at her tormentor.

"You've got some guts ignoring me, Pure One," said Zorc, half amused, half annoyed. "Either you're provoking me, or you're just dying to be eaten."

She just looked at him, teeth chattering and breathing loudly. This was the last residue of hope she could bring to the table. Zorc shrugged.

"Oh well, I'll be hearing plenty of your voice starting now."

He brought his free hand up to her head, and she stopped breathing. She had to move for this to work, but she was paralyzed again. Move. Move!

"Yugi!" she heard Joey's voice shout this time.

A bolt of energy struck her from the inside and before the tainted hand could touch her face, her arm suddenly moved and her palm touched his forehead. He froze in surprise for a moment, before his smirk came back.

"I'm surprised you can still move. Just what are you trying to do?"

She inhaled deeply, forbidding to break away from his eyes. Please. Just this once. Let it work.

"MIND CRUSH!"

His eyes widened and a scream of pain followed. Pain that made him bring his hands to his face and back away, writhing. Odion and Marik fell to the ground, like stringless puppets.

"You little bitch," he growled, but the voice had a British accent. The black stains on his skin were slowly fading. When he moved his hands away from his face, his eyes were crying tears of blood. "What did you bloody do?"

The shadows suddenly vanished, freeing them all at once. The first on his feet was Joey, who dashed past her. Raising his fist, he threw a punch in Bakura's face. The white haired boy barely had time to spit out a tooth when Joey's foot made contact with his stomach. A left hook hit him in the jaw a second later, and then another fist struck his chin, making his head ring. The look on Joey's face was wrathful, there were no other words to describe it. He overwhelmed Bakura with a hurricane of strikes, not giving him a chance to fight back and ignoring his own aching body. For the finishing move, the blond grabbed his head and forced it down until it collided with his knee. Grunting in pain and spitting blood, the Thief King tumbled back and fell down on one knee.

"Damn it!" he shouted, reaching behind his back.

But he wasn't fast enough. Atem, anticipating his move and having moved behind him, wrapped an arm around his neck. He grabbed the knife from him with his free hand, and pointed it at his throat. Knowing the punch he packed, Joey didn't doubt the strength of the ancient king. Bakura was trapped, and Atem was not about to give him a chance to flee.

"This ends here, Thief King!" he declared, raising the blade to strike.

"Pharaoh, wait!" shouted Kisa, getting back on her feet. "Don't kill him."

Clenching his teeth in anxious impatience, he threw her one of those gut gripping glares. "He's offered himself up to the Dark One. As long as he is alive, Zorc has a vessel to return to. We can't afford to let him live."

"But you'll be killing the host too!" she insisted. "The Thief King is from your time, right? Then that can't be his body. There's someone else in there."

"Who gives a damn?" said Kaiba, grabbing Yugi's arm and pulling her up to her feet. "I say necessary collateral."

"Then what makes us different from him?" said Yugi.

Atem's eyes widened at the realization but the young billionaire threw an angry glare at the her. "Maybe you didn't get the memo. But the entire world is at risk here."

Bakura's chuckle interrupted them. "You really should listen to the heir, Pharaoh. Or I swear you're going to regret this. The moment the monster recovers, he'll come right back and you'll be just as powerless as before. It's only a matter of..."

A fist crashing against his temple knocked him out of consciousness. Joey cracked his rubbed his wrist, but the look of fury hadn't left his face.

"Finally, some peace and quiet," he stated.

"Good thinking," said the Pharaoh, dropping the passed out madman. "This should buy us a little time."

"Time for what exactly?" Kaiba was more on edge than ever. "There's a crazy bastard trying to eradicate humanity lurking around us. We're just delaying the inevitable. What the hell kind of a strategy is that?"

Yugi stared at him in shock. He was right from a logical standpoint, she knew that. But she never thought even he would be this inclined to do something like this.

"Kaiba, we're talking about killing someone."

"Now you want to talk life and death? No, we're talking about killing a monster."

"And two other people along with him, including an innocent!"

"They're right," said Joey, still throwing a murderous glare at the unconscious boy.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You'll sacrifice an innocent for the sake of the world, does that sound familiar to anyone here? That's exactly what the Tomb Keepers did to me!"

A long silence followed, until Atem broke it. "You may have a point."

Clenching his teeth, the CEO looked at the ancient king. "You have got to be joking. I figured you'd have the guts to do what's necessary, but apparently I was wrong. Is your tough king attitude just for show?"

"Don't get me wrong, I agree with you. But I was about to repeat the same mistake as back then. The Dark One needs a physical form to use his full power. Even if we get rid of the Thief King now, Zorc will just go into hiding until he can find another host, like always. And again, it'll only be a matter of time before he attacks this world again. He is patient. It matters little if he has to wait a century or two. He will return. Having his host here may be one chance in a million to end this cursed cycle."

"You don't even know how to kill him, you moron" replied Kaiba. "If you did, you'd have done it the first time."

Atem said nothing, and looked at the ground. Where was Zorc? There was no more spiritual flow now that the gates were closed, so probably in the spirit world, waiting for Bakura to wake up. A strangled noise got their attention. Ishizu was still moving, dragging herself towards the altar. Kisa was the first to reach her. A glance was enough to tell that the priestess didn't have much blood left inside. Still, the class rep took off her jacket and pressed it to the woman's stomach.

"Hang in there!," she said, while applying pressure and trying to sound reassuring. "We're going to get you some help. Just stay still, okay?"

But a red hand grabbed her shoulder, and when Ishizu spoke, blood left her mouth at the same time.

"Kisa...ra... Ki...sara..."

"Not good," said Joey, standing by her side."She's hallucinatin'."

But with whatever strength she had left the priestess pushed herself up closer to Kisa, eyes insistent and begging. "Pray... pray...Kisa...ra..."

"Pray Kisara?" repeated the class rep, confused.

It seemed to be the right answer, because the priestess released her. Her eyes then met Yugi's. It was just a few seconds but felt like an eternity to her. A single tear fell out, and she muttered something.

'Sorry,' thought Yugi, reading her lips.

And then the light from her eyes was gone. Joey knelt down and closed her eyes. He didn't try to do anything more. If anyone knew death, he did. Something tore inside Yugi's heart. Ishizu hadn't been a friend. Not by a long shot. But she couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Sacrificing everything for a cause, allowing yourself to cross the line, only to find out that that very cause was a lie... The short girl could only imagine just how horrifying that must be. Her death had been anything but peaceful. The next noise in the room was the sound of Atem's fist crashing against the wall.

"Why have the Gods allowed this to happen again?"

"We have to get out of here," said Kaiba.

"It doesn't matter where we run," the Pharaoh replied. "He'll find us the moment his vessel awakens. It doesn't take long for a spirit to sniff out a soul they have bonded with."

"That's it!" exclaimed Joey. "Class rep! Do what she told ya. Pray to Kisara. Ya said the spirits can't be here physically 'cause of the gate is closed. But nothin's keepin' them away from the souls, right? And I remember her sayin' somethin' about prayin' and spiritual energy."

Immediately, Kisa closed her eyes and brought her hands together.

"Wait," said Yugi, remembering what the Dark One had told her. "If you create spiritual energy by praying, won't Zorc try to possess you?"

"Not if she is specifically praying to Kisara," said the Pharaoh. "Besides, the bond between an heir and their predecessor can't be interfered with. Not even by Zorc. And Kisara is a special case. Her human self allows her to manifest herself in the physical world without the need of too much spiritual flow."

"So it won't work if I try it with Red-Eyes, then?"

"Divine possession is a lot more complex than demonic possession," said Kisa suddenly turning to them. But it became apparent very quickly that this wasn't the class rep anymore. "But we don't have time to elaborate on this."

Jumping off the platform, she made her way to the small group with Joey right behind her. The first thing she did was put her hand on Yugi's forehead. The contrast between the warmth of Kisa's hand and her ice cold skin sent more shivers throughout her body.

"So it's true," said the spirit. "I've been a fool not to notice."

"How can you tell?"

"Ishizu's final prayer was to me. She confessed everything." Her gentle white light surrounded her, and she left her hand on Yugi's face. "This will not replace your soul, but it should at least give you enough energy to move on your own."

A surge of warmth quickly spread through her and in mere seconds, her shaking stopped and her headache vanished. She brought her hands up, staring at them in awe. They weren't trembling anymore. The cold wasn't completely gone but it was sufferable. More importantly, she could stand on her own without holding on to Kaiba. But worry marked the Pharaoh's face.

"Kisara, am I still absorbing her soul?"

"No, the process was interrupted when the gates closed. Thank the Gods for that, or she would most likely be dead now."

Hearing someone say it so explicitly was a lot more uncomfortable. But the spirit didn't stop there.

"Nonetheless, I have to warn you that you are still dying, Yugi. All I've done is given you energy. No human can survive long without a complete soul. That means you as well Pharaoh."

Yugi looked at Atem, who mirrored the face she was making. The information was clear enough; one of them will have to die soon if the other was to survive. If not, then...

"Ya sayin' they're both gonna kick the bucket if we can't do anythin' about that monster?" asked Joey, clenching his fists..

She nodded. "That gives you very little time to take care of Zorc. I can feel Yugi's being slipping quickly. Once this is over, Pharaoh, you will have to go quickly."

"Wait, what?!" exclaimed Yugi.

But a comforting hand landed on her shoulder. The ancient king smiled at her. "It was always going to be this way, little one. My battle with Zorc is the last trial before I can finally move on to the other side and be with my loved ones."

She thought about it for a moment. It made sense. And he had been waiting five thousand years for this. Still, she frowned. Someone was still going to die in all of this. And there was no escaping that.

"Then we're back to our first problem," said Kaiba, looking at the unconscious Bakura. "How do we fight that monstrosity?"

"Why don't we shake these guys awake and make 'em open the gates for us?"

That suggestion earned him a slap in the back of the head from the young billionaire. "Pay attention, mutt brain. We open that gate and Yugi dies."

"Right," said the blond, rubbing the back of his skull.

"How did you fight him before?" Kaiba asked Atem. "You must have been able to do something to lock him up for five millennia."

"My kindred spirits are about the only ones capable of fending off his cursed shadows. Even then, they were overwhelming. The most effective weapons were the Millennium Items. Otherwise, he can't be touched physically. But they weren't enough either. I ended up trading my name and part of my soul to imprison him."

"Like fightin' a ghost," commented Joey, who was visibly sweating. "I like this less and less."

Atem looked at the white spirit. "Kisara, you have knowledge that surpass us. What can you tell us?"

The white dragon looked down sadly. "I'm not sure I can be of any help, my Pharaoh. I am still wounded from my battle with the him. But if I have learned one thing in my five thousand years as a spirit, it's that every living being has a core. I went over it many times in my mind, but we've always only fought the vessels of the Dark One. My only advice is find his core and destroy its link to this world."

"That's very helpful and all, but if the specters and the Items are the only way to fight him, how the hell are you suppose to summon them without opening this gate?" asked Kaiba.

The young CEO was clearly not at ease. And since his mind worked incredibly fast, he'd probably figured out exactly where they were standing before any of them did. He was asking the key questions now. The look on Kisara's face told them that they weren't going to like the answer.

"We have to go back there." he said, as if he read her mind.

"Yes."

"Back where?" asked Yugi. "What are you talking about?"

"No way," continued Joey. "Are ya sayin' that place also has spiritual energy? Bullshit. I don't believe that."

"The lost souls of the Shadow Realm create an energy similar to it. Granted, it is generated by raw, negative emotions. But at least, it'll allow you to summon the divine protectors."

"You're suggesting we turn this fight into a shadow game," said the Pharaoh. "If we loose, none of us will escape."

"None of us will, even if you confront him here and fail. At this point, there's not much difference putting your souls on the line. The only advantage is that Yugi will survive for longer, hopefully until you can win. Right now, you and her a two halves of a whole. From the looks of it, she's absorbed part of your powers. You must do this together. We don't have choice anymore."

Yugi was about to ask what the Shadow Realm was, but it seemed like the time for questions was over. Atem grabbed the puzzle with both hands and closed his eyes. After gesturing for them to step back, he muttered something in the same unknown language the Tomb Keepers used to open the gates. The Eye of Horus lit up and the ground at their feet started pooling.

'Just like with Shadi...' thought Yugi, remembering the first time she witnessed this phenomenon.

"We are out of time," said Atem, extending a hand to her. "We must go now."

"Hold it, Pharaoh." Joey placed a hand on the short girl's shoulder. "I'm comin' too. Ya're in too, right moneybags?"

"This is the only time I'll ever agree with you, mutt face."

A jolt of panic shook her and she grabbed his sleeve. "No. You don't have to do this."

"I ain't askin' for permission, Yug. I just found ya, I ain't lettin' you throw yarself into the fire like that again. Besides, the risk is the same even if we stay here, right Kisara?"

"True. The darkness will swallow us all if we fail."

"There ya go. No difference."

"There is a difference," she insisted. "Nothing can touch him other than the spirits and the Puzzle. You'll be sitting ducks! You don't have to see that thing. You don't have to have him inside your head like I did. I wouldn't want my worst enemy to feel like I did."

He stared back at her, and she found herself unable to read his eyes. Weird. She thought she'd gotten pretty good at that, having to read Kaiba all the time.

"If ya're gonna die out there, then I'm dyin' with ya."

She felt her face heat up at the sudden declaration, and her mind took her back to Pegasus's mansion, when Joey had found her. The memory of that clumsy kiss made the red of her cheeks deepen. Come on, this really wasn't the time! Oblivious to her embarrassment, he went on.

"It's hell of a lot better than waitin' and then gettin' mind-screwed by that freak with the rest of humanity. Got enough of that today to last a century."

She shook her head at him, running out of things to say. She understood now, what it was like to see your friends jumping head first into danger and not being able to stop them. Frustration and happiness made her heart swell and she blurted out what came to mind first.

"I'm trying to be logical here!" she shouted at him. "There's no reason for you to come along!"

"Ya're reason enough."

Now she was certain the heat was going to melt her face off, and that only served to irritate her more. The energy Kisara gave her made it easier to get mad. "Don't give me that! You know that's not what I mean, Joey!"

"Doesn't matter. I'm taggin' along."

She turned to her billionaire friend. He worked with reason, surely she'd get help from him. "Kaiba..."

"Don't even," he said, raising a hand. "I'm sitting this one out."

She paused for a moment, surprised. Her oldest friend didn't run away from anything, even a discussion.

"You're backing down?" she asked, as he walked towards the unconscious Bakura and picked him up throwing him over his shoulder.

"No, I just already made up my mind and there's no reason for me to discuss this with you any further."

She looked at Kisara who gave her an apologetic smile, confirming her that there was no use discussing with Kisa either. For the love of... Why were her friends so good at not listening to what she had to say?

"Arr! Why do you guys have to be so damn stubborn? Is it so hard to understand that I don't want any of you to be hurt?"

Joey didn't answer and just flashed her that goofy smile of his. That smile she'd been longing for, the one that was suppose to melt away all of her anxiety... Why now? Shaking her head in defeat, she brought a hand to her face.

"I hate you..." was her last helpless statement.

Again he said nothing. He just kept on smiling and just took a step closer to grab her hand. The hot and cold contrast was still perceptible enough to send a shiver down her spine. The tighter she squeezed his hand, the more she realized how scared she was, the more she felt happy and guilty about having them with her.

"I will not stop you," said the Pharaoh. "But time is up."

* * *

 **Back to the Shadow Realm, huh? Soon, anybody else noticed who was still missing?**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	33. Traps and strategy

**I suppose most of you know what exam periods are like. Sorry mine took so long, I had a bunch of issues and other things going on to top it all of and I got a bit overwhelmed. I must face the truth; I'm a terrible planner. Anyways, sorry for the wait again.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The words almost burned Yugi's throat when she managed to push them out of her mouth.

"W-What is this place?"

They'd jumped through the pool portal that Atem had summoned and had landed on what seemed to be a land of rocks, extending to the horizon around them. Like they were in the middle of a canyon valley. Strangely shaped rocks littered the area. The sky was made of purple fog and dark shadows moved every now and then. The wind passing by made a wail-like sound, making her want to cover her ears. A disgusting smell of something rotting filled the air. There was nothing to see and everything to feel. She could've sworn her bones were shaking.

"This is the Shadow Realm," said Kisara, making a face. Clearly the spirit loathed the place. "A trap for the greedy created by the priests of ancient times to trap those who would claim the powers of the Gods for themselves."

"It's... disgusting," let out the short girl, starting to feel nauseous.

"Ya got no idea," said Joey.

Looking at his face and Kaiba's, she was afraid to ask what they'd seen here. Whatever it was, it must've been bad.

"Hang on a second," said Kaiba turning to the white spirit occupying Kisa's body. "What was that crap about spirits not being able to enter? You seem to be doing pretty good."

"Spirits are not aloud to help humans pass the trials, I couldn't have helped you. Lying to you was easier than explaining everything. I apologize but I was needed elsewhere. We have nothing to fear from the Realm for now. We are here for a Shadow Game, not for trials."

"So what now?"

"Now we wait for the Thief King to wake up," replied the Pharaoh. "Zorc will most certainly possess him again soon after that. He won't think twice about attacking."

"Then we gotta find some better battle ground," said Joey, looking up at the giant piles of stone around them. "It might not help much given the monster's power, but gettin' some high ground on him will give us the upper hand."

"There seems to be a crater over there," said Kisara pointing in one direction. "Joey's right, we should take every advantage we can."

With that, they started walking, following Kisara towards the crater. Atem who had the same composed attitude as always, decided to start a conversation by praising Joey's strategic thinking.

"You seem to be no stranger to fighting," said the ancient King. "But why did you suggest we go out in the open?"

"First off, I get the feelin' that monster's strong enough to break down even these rocks. Hidin' behind them is more of a danger than anythin' in that case," continued the blond as they kept walking. "Second, if all yar spirits are as big as that giant chicken ya fought me with, they're gonna need a lot more fightin' space."

"Giant chicken?" The billionaire raised an eyebrow. "Really, Wheeler?"

Atem didn't seem to appreciate the description of his divine protector. "In my time, you would have lost your head for referring to a God as such."

"Well ya know, in this era we got somethin' called a sense of humor. Ya should get one. Makes life much easier. Otherwise, ya'll just end up like moneybags here. With a stick up yar ass the size of the Eiffel Tower."

The confused pharaoh raised an eyebrow. "Eiffel Tower? I do not know what you speak of, but it sounds painful."

Joey snorted, and even Kaiba cracked a half smile for a second. Yugi envied them, really. She wished she could laugh, even just for a second. But this place... to put it mildly, it stank of death. She couldn't help but constantly look around, expecting something to jump out of nowhere and attack them. In a way, somehow, it was much more terrifying than Zorc himself. Weird. Her thoughts were interrupted when her eyes landed on one of the strange rocks from earlier, not too far from them. They lingered on that rock and her eyes widened in shock when she realized it had the shape of a person. A mummified person, curled up in a ball, skin the color of sand making it blend into the macabre surroundings. Stopping in her tracks, she looked around again to see just how many of the weird rocks she'd seen. They were everywhere. A hand on her shoulder made her jump.

"Yugi, we have to keep moving," said the Pharaoh. "Lingering on the dead will do nothing for the living."

Gently pushing her, he led her away from the mummy. "Who are these people?"

"Those who've failed the trials," he explained. "They couldn't withstand the pain of their regrets. So when they failed, their souls became wanderers and fed the Realm's hellish atmosphere. And their bodies were left to rot here."

"What happens when you win?"

"Legend has it, your wish is granted. But most who passed the trials were driven mad by what they saw here. Your friends are incredibly resourceful to have come out unscathed. Then again, I've never heard of someone taking the trial for anything other than selfish purposes."

So that was the way her friends had taken to get to the temple? Those idiots. What a crazy gamble. She stared at the back of the two guys that were still bickering about something regarding Kaiba suing Joey. She bit her lower lip when she thought that perhaps everything they'd done had been for nothing. They were already barely able to stand against Zorc. According to the ancient king, even his spirits had trouble. That left them with Kisara's spiritual power, that was probably weakened due to her previous fight, and the Puzzle, that somehow gave her and Atem the power of mind destruction. But even that wasn't enough.

"Pharaoh, are spirits living beings?"

"As much as humans are. They simply operate on different planes. Why do you ask?"

"You said Zorc was human, but he somehow became a spirit. But Kisara was also both human and spirit. And her soul was preserved in her spirit self, somehow. Is Zorc the same?"

"No. Kisara is a blessed being born with two forms. According to the records made during my father's time, Zorc was an ordinary man. For reasons unknown, he practiced dark magic rituals and consumed corrupted spirits until his body perished and he became what he is now."

"That doesn't really explain why he's so obsessed with me."

"You are the purest being that has ever been in his presence. He has a sickening fetish for corrupting humans, especially righteous ones. Why he does it is a mystery to all of us."

"Acts without reasons don't exist," she whispered, unintentionally.

He threw her a surprised look. "Pardon?"

"Oh, sorry. My Grandpa always says that."

Oh. It'd been a while since she'd thought about her Grandpa. How was he doing? Maybe he'd gotten worse since she last saw him. And maybe that was for the best, if it meant he wouldn't have to see that monstrosity swallow up humanity. Shaking her head she pulled herself out of her distracting thoughts.

"Kisara said something about destroying the core. But the core is the soul right? How do we destroy a soul?"

"It's impossible. Souls are immortal, the essence of humanity itself. They can be lost, corrupted and locked away. But I've never heard of one being destroyed. I think one would have to be the most powerful being in existence to erase someone completely."

Zorc had been locked away before. And it seemed like it was the only thing that could be done but what then? Wait another millennia for him to return? It was better than nothing sure, but not a permanent solution. But then what about the price?

"Pharaoh, when you locked away Zorc, did you mean to sacrifice your life, memories and half of your soul?"

"I'm not certain. Even now that my memories have returned, all I can recall from that moment is a feeling of desperation and offering my life. I suspect the half of my soul that is missing became the cage. I thought I was being torn into pieces but instead of dying, the Puzzle absorbed me."

That was a strange coincidence. "So you never really died. Just like him," she said, thinking out loud. They finally reached the crater and Kaiba slid down the edge to go drop off the unconscious Bakura in the middle of it, before climbing back up. Just like Yugi, he was restless, looking around every second. A gentle hand landed on his shoulder.

"Do not loose your focus to your surrounding, Seto," said the spirit before pointing down at the Thief King. "He's our only worry. The lost souls wouldn't dare interfere with a shadow game. They might send someone to observe but they won't affect us."

"How the hell can you be so sure?" growled the billionaire. "Last I checked, these things didn't have an ethic code."

"Believe it or not, they have to follow a set of rules if they want to keep tormenting as they please. Have I failed you so far, Seto?" she asked.

"You admitted five seconds ago that you lied to me. And like I said; I don't know you, I don't trust you and I don't intend to play buddy with you."

Her eyes didn't change. She looked at him and spoke calmly. "You are angry."

"What tipped you off?"

"You are angry with me and Seth. Because of the bond we shared, you're afraid that destiny dictates your choices and your life. But that is not how it works, Seto. Kisa knows that as well. You have nothing to fear from the past. We may have a powerful bond with you, but we are not you. Far from it."

"Damn straight, we're not," he replied, crossing his arms on his chest. "I don't need you to tell me that. Once this mess is over, we're out of here."

Yugi had no idea what they were talking about but it must've been bothering Kaiba a lot if Kisara thought it necessary to clarify that. The young CEO sighed and looked around again, eying the mummified corpses. That was by far the most disturbing part. To think they could've ended up like that. But then, his eyes widened in shock.

"Kisara. Did you sense the presence of Tea or Tristan at the temple?" he asked.

"I have not. Why?"

"Because I'm pretty sure that's them," he said pointing towards two shapes leaning against a large rock, further away.

All of them whipped around and Joey was the first to get to them.

"Tristan! Tristan!" he shouted, shaking the shoulders of his pal. "Come on man, wake up!"

"Tea," called out Yugi doing the same. "Tea!"

Their eyes were open, but they didn't seem to hear them. They're mouths were hanging open. Both were pale like the blood had been drained from their bodies. Tea's teeth chattered while tristan was covered in goose bumps, and both had irregular and fast breathing. But the strangest thing, was that they were holding hands, each one digging their nails into the other's skin.

"What's wrong with them?"

Kisara pushed them away and placed her hands on Tea and Tristan's foreheads. "They haven't finished their trials and from the looks of it, they're failing."

The short girl's heart skipped a beat. Did that mean they were going to end up like all the others here? Mummified and left to rot in this hell dimension?

"They haven't stopped fighting," continued the spirit. "However, perseverance alone is not enough to pass the test. I'm sorry, there is nothing I can do."

"What d'ya mean there nothin' ya can do?" shouted Joey. "They're just gonna stay like this forever?"

Kisara frowned at him, but her eyes showed no less sadness that they did anger. "I've warned you of the dangers of passing the trials. If they fail, they will die or go mad."

"Not necessarily. There is one thing we can do," said the Pharaoh, earning himself the attention of the group. "We haven't bargained yet."

Joey raised an eyebrow. "Bargained?"

Instead of explaining himself, the ancient king turned around and looked at the purple sky.

"I know you are watching, lost ones," he called out, loud and clear. "Send us an ambassador, we wish to bargain!"

For a few seconds, nothing happened and the silence was tortuous. But then a black form seemingly made out of fog descended towards them and landed in front of the group. The fog then took the shape of a person but their skin was black and features, indiscernible. But it had fangs and red eyes staring at the Pharaoh.

"We wish to bargain our prize should we be the victors of this game," said Atem.

"You're pretty confident, old king." The creature turned to him, crossing its arms on its chest. "But I suppose rules are rules. I'm listening. State the type of game and your prize."

"The game is a death match." He pointed at the two unconscious people. "If we win, you will negate their trials and they'll return with us."

"That's it? Are you sure that's what you want?" asked the creature, surprised. "You don't know how long they'll be able to hang on. They might be dead by the time your game is over. Or have lost their minds."

"Then we will have to finish this quickly."

His words were unbelievably confident but again, the short girl's insides tightened. His heart wasn't at peace. He was as uncertain as before. But she supposed appearing strong at all times was a necessary quality for a king. If anything, it was a little comforting.

"The Shadow Realm accepts your demand," said the creature. "Should you win, those two will be sent back with the lot of you with their sanity intact. But tell me who are you challenging? It's been millennia since the last shadow game."

"Zorc, the Dark One."

The creature seemed to be taken aback before bursting out in uncontrollable laughter. "Zorc? The deviant that almost drowned Egypt in darkness? How ironic that you'd fight that disgusting thing here."

"Why do you say that?"

"The Dark One may be the greatest threat humanity has ever known, but we are already dead. To us he's only a lost soul who doesn't have the balls to let go of life."

"How do you know this?"

"I've been dead for a very long time, and I've been in the Shadow Realm since its creation. I know a lot of things. Zorc was nothing but a lowly human who was too afraid to die. Even when his body perished, he kept consuming spirits to maintain his shadow shield and prevent his soul from passing on. How pathetic," it smirked. "I can't wait to see how this game is going to unfold. Good luck, old king."

Without waiting for an answer, the creature turned back to fog and made its way back towards the ominous purple sky.

"Now might be the time to call out yar giant chickens," said Joey. "Before he wakes up."

"Indeed. Yugi."

Atem extended a hand towards her but she threw him a confused glare. "What is it?"

"You and I are two halves of a whole. As the Dark One said, I believe we have to call my divine protectors together for them to appear."

"Right. Uh... How do I do that?"

"Pray. You can focus on Slifer since you've already met him. I'll take care of the two others."

"But I've never prayed before." She looked down. "I don't know how."

"Wish for it Yug." She looked at the blond boy who was smiling at her again. "Ya've wished for stuff before, haven't ya? Just the reach out for somethin' but with yar mind instead of ya're hands. Piece of cake, right?."

He sure was making it sound easy. But maybe it was. Not being in the habit of praying, it seemed like something very hard to do and even harder to understand. Maybe it could be this easy.

"Okay, let's do this."

This time, the ancient offered her both hands which she grabbed. And when she closed her eyes, she felt his forehead press against hers. The gestures were self-explanatory; it just helped to feel more in touch with her missing half. Normally, she'd have been crimson with embarrassment but this was too important. Taking a deep breath she focused, reaching with her mind for what she wanted. For what they needed. Her memory kicked in, showing her the red dragon.

'Slifer. We need you. Please help us.'

'Ra, Obelisk, my friends. This one last time, lend me your strength.'

The second voice in her head almost made her jump. She could hear Atem's prayer too. Probably a perk of having half of her soul with him. The sensation she felt next was inexplainable. It was like seeing a warm bright light even though her eyes were closed. It felt... good. But she kept focusing on her own wish until a loud roar made both of them open their eyes and looks up. Her jaw almost hit the ground. Above them under the purple sky, had appeared not only the red dragon but two other humongous spirits. One of them was a giant bird seemingly made out of golden flames and the other, a giant blue humanoid creature with bat wings.

"Wow," she let out, unable to take her eyes off them. "We did it."

The Pharaoh let out a sigh of relief before letting go off her hands. "Well done. Now we have to come up with a strategy."

"Well, we know what he wants," said Kaiba, bringing his hands together. "He clearly thinks he has the upper hand on us, so there's no need for him to be careful about us. We can definitely use his own ego against him."

"I can't believe I'm hearin' ya sayin' that, moneybags," commented Joey. "But ya got a point. Pharaoh, d'ya think he'll attack us tentacle style again."

"That's how he's always fought, I don't see why he'd change..."

Yugi listened to their conversation but with only one ear. Staring into nothingness, the short girl replayed in her mind her previous encounters with the Dark One and everything she'd been told about him since the beginning. Zorc had been human. His human body had perished. His soul was clinging to this world by using an inhuman pseudo body he made by eating spirits. That body was pure evil in a way. At least that's how she thought she was able to kick him out of Bakura's body temporarily. In that case... maybe there was something to be done.

"Yugi, are you listening?"

Snapping out of her daze she looked at Kaiba. "What? Sorry, were you saying something?"

"You might want to pay attention since your life is on the line here," scolded the young CEO, pinching the edge of his nose in frustration. "The idea is to kick the monster out of Bakura again and then burn his shadows immediately after with the spiritual beams of the spirits."

"That sounds...risky," she said, frowning with uncertainty. "We'll have to have perfect timing."

The Pharaoh sighed. "Unfortunately, that is the only plan we have. We'll have to make do, besides our time is limited. Let's go back."

With Kisara leading the way, they started heading back towards the crater. Yugi stayed behind a bit to throw one last look at Tea and Tristan. Silently, she begged them to hang in there a bit longer before catching up to the Pharaoh.

"Atem, I think I have an idea. But you can't tell Joey or Kaiba."

She whispered in his ear, exposing her idea. It was crazy, based on complete theory and the words of people she barely knew. But at this point, it might be their only shot. And it sounded much more safe proof to her than their original plan. From the looks Atem threw her, she could tell he knew that very well.

"Are you certain you want to do this? You saw what it did to me. Who knows what it will do to you?"

She nodded. "Since half of my soul is with you, I think I'm safer than you were. I won't say I'm not scared but we seem to have no choice but to be extreme with this."

He nodded but clenched his fists, irritation shaking him. "I promised to shield you from danger. But it seems all I've been doing so far is using you as bait."

A sensation of disgust and resolve invaded her. But it wasn't coming from her. It was coming from the ancient king. She understood... no it was more than that. She felt what he was feeling, like an empath. Maybe that was another perk of having half her soul completing his.

"YUGI! PHARAOH!" shouted Kisara, urgently. "HURRY!"

Both of them raced to the crater. The white-haired boy was stirring, slowly coming out of his sleep. Bringing two fingers to his mouth, Atem whistled and the three giant spirits floating over their heads placed themselves all around the crater waiting for the next order. A few seconds later, Bakura opened his eyes and grunted before rubbing his head.

"Bloody hell. You sure pack a punch, Wheeler."

Standing back on his feet he looked at them from the bottom of the crater. But there not nearly enough distance between them for Yugi's taste. A smug smirk stretched out across his face and suddenly he was tainted with dark marks on his skin. Zorc was back.

"Ahh, now this brings back memories. Too bad not all the heirs of your council couldn't join us, Pharaoh. It would've been a lot more entertaining. The place really annoys me, though. But since you're about to die again, I suppose I'll let you the privilege of choosing the place where your corpses will rot."

The shadows around him grew until they took the same tentacle shape as before. Only this time, the tips were giants wolf heads with three rows of teeth. Every muscle in Yugi's body tensed up and she felt cold sweat on the back of her neck. Game on.

* * *

 **Fair warning : grab your popcorn and tissues! Sorry I delayed the showdown, but it's better than making you guys wait another week for this.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	34. Erased

**Well, that didn't take forever. Sorry guys, I was a little busy recovering from having my wisdom teeth taken out. All four of them at once. Piece of advice: if you gotta get them removed, the sooner the better.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Now let's get this feast started, shall we?"

It seemed Yugi wasn't the only one to feel an alarming shiver shoot up her spine because Atem was the first to act raising a hand, ordering the giant spirit to attack. With perfect synchronization, the three monsters moved to form a circle above Zorc and fire their energy blast at the Dark One. The shockwave almost made her take off the ground and pushed her back violently. Holy, it felt like a nuclear bomb had been dropped right in front of them! If Joey hadn't grabbed her, she would have fallen.

"Stand back!" ordered the Pharaoh.

"Hang on tight, Yug!" shouted Joey over the noise, wrapping his arm around her waist.

He also had trouble staying on his feet so the extra weight was a benefit for both of them. This was the first time in her life she wished she was heavier. Even Kaiba, the heaviest of the group fought to stay up. The only one completely unfazed was Kisara. Apart from her long hair getting tangled by the aggressive wind blowing in her face, she stood her ground without so much as looking away from the ball of fire. Kisara's powers probably strengthened Kisa's body to some extent. However, the instant the spirits stopped firing, Zorc's shadow creatures sprang out of the flying dust and threw themselves on the spirits. One came at full speed towards her and Joey. She was too slow to react so Joey pushed out of the way instants before the wolf closed its jaw on his arm. He cried out in pain.

"Mind Crush!" shouted Yugi, throwing her hand towards them.

The shadows immediately vanished, like a pile of dust in the wind. Joey dropped to his knees holding his bleeding arm. She wanted to run to him and ask if he was okay, but a new shadow monster was already attacking them again.

"Stay behind me, Seto!" ordered Kisara.

The spirit emitted a blinding white light that drowned her and became intensified. When it faded again, the white dragon stood un her place. Slicing one shadow monster to pieces with her claws, she fired a ray of white light towards Zorc who with one movement of the arm, deflected it.

"Is that all you can do?" he mocked. "Not so easy out of the dream plane, is it wench?"

The shadows formed another monster only this time, it had her size and twice as many teeth. But as she fired at it, another one ran passed her with an obvious target in mind.

"WATCH OUT, MONEYBAGS!"

Kaiba's face told everything. He couldn't dodge the thing was too fast. And if he took it on, he'd get hurt like Joey. But just as the monster clawed at his side, the white dragons closed its jaw on its head, destroying it in one bite. Only... it was the dragon's second head.

"What the devil..." said Zorc, pausing for a moment, staring at the two headed creature with shocked eyes.

Atem didn't let that chance go to waste. He said nothing out loud, but she heard his thoughts loud and clear as he ordered Ra to attack. Just like when she'd started completing the Puzzle. Their souls really were merged together. The golden bird let out a cry before being engulfed by its own flames, catching fire and charging at the Dark One, clashing against the shadow man. Kaiba was staring at the second head who was also gazing at him with worry in its eyes.

"Kisa?" muttered the young CEO, stunned.

Yugi's jaw almost hit the floor. So her friend wasn't asleep. Better, she was somehow making Kisara stronger. Maybe that was why the white spirit had recovered so quickly of her injuries. This bond between heir and predecessor was even more amazing than what she'd initially thought. Turning her eyes back to the crater, she saw that Zorc was busy pushing back against the giant spirits. She took the opportunity and helped Joey back to his feet.

"Are you alrigh-Oh God..."

The sleeve of his jacket was being tainted by blood quickly. His arm arm had been butchered. Her stomach turned and she almost puked.

"Keep your eyes open, Yug," he told her, forcing himself back up. "We got bigger fish to fry. Don't worry bout me."

The white dragon screeched in pain as the shadow beast attacking it multiplied. Kaiba was barely keeping out of harms way, and he was already bleeding from a large scratch mark in his side. Even Atem, with the help of his spirits and his mind crush already collected scratch and bite marks. Five minutes into this fight and they was already bleeding out. It hit her. There was no more time. Reconsidering was going to get them nowhere. Looking at Atem, she reached for him with her mind. Sensing her touch, he quickly glanced at her but quickly refocused his eye to monitor the battle. That was working good.

 _It's not going well,_ she thought to him.

 _Not any better than last time,_ replied his voice in her head. Didn't that feel familiar?

 _We have to do it, Atem. It's our only option now. The longer we wait, the more we'll get hurt._

For the first time, she saw frustration take him over as he gritted his teeth. He didn't like it but he agreed with her. There was nothing left to do.

 _Yugi, once you're there, even this link to the other half of your soul will be severed. You'll be in pieces. Are you certain this is what you want?_

Of course not. But she was past the point of questioning. She looked at Zorc who's shadows were starting to overwhelm Ra's golden flame.

 _Lets do this,_ she replied to the Pharaoh.

A hand closed on her upper arm, getting a painful cry out of her. Joey was looking at her with a distraught look on his face. It told everything he was feeling; worry, anticipation, panic, even horror... He knew. He knew that she was planning to do something stupid.

"Don't," he said, his voice begging. "I won't let anythin' happen to ya, I swear. Please, just stay close."

His bargaining broke her heart and she felt a tight squeeze in her chest. Anguish struck her when she realized that if she failed, then this was the last time they'd be together. Wow. That would be it. Her insides tortured her and the urge to burst out in tears and scream assaulted her. But she fought against it, tensing every muscle in her body to stay in control of herself. She looked at him, wanting to take his face in, memorize every feature and burn them forever within herself. She wanted to go home with him. She wanted to know everything about him. She wanted to protect him from his father. She wanted her grandfather to see the real him. She wanted him to hold her more, share his warmth that could make everything she hated about herself turn to nothingness. All of that was impossible if they lost. This was their last ace and it was going to make her forget him.

"Joey..." she muttered, with a broken voice.

Standing on her tip toes as high as she could, she pressed her lips against him. It was just as clumsy and lasted as long as when he had kissed her back at Pegasus's mansion. Yugi forced a sad smile at him, looking one last time at his pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry."

With that, she kicked his wounded ribs making him bend over and grunt in pain. He released her and she ran as fast as she could down the crater, straight at the shadow man who had his back turned to her as he was pushing back against a combined strike from Obelisk and Slifer, under the orders of the ancient king that she could hear ring in her head. But she paid no mind to it. Her heart raced in her chest, the adrenaline flowing through her system faster than it ever had before and her leg muscles burning from the unusually strain. Almost within reach, she extended her hand towards the back of his head.

"Mind cru–"

Her words died in her throat and her movements were frozen. As if the shadows had a mind of their own, they'd wrapped around her arms, lifting her off the ground and pulling so hard, she cried out in pain.

"Thank you for that. This makes it so much easier for me," Zorc said, not even turning around. "Do you know how many spirits I've eaten over the years? I quite literally have thousands of eyes and ears. And I never fall for the same trick twice."

The shadow monsters suddenly turned away from their initial targets and focused on the Gods who were quickly being torn apart. Zorc finally turned to face her, a nasty smirk decorating his face. He placed a cold hand on he forehead and shivers shook her again.

"Lets see what happens when I try to crush your mind."

Her vision suddenly blurred and she felt it. Something was invading her mind, digging through her memories, invading her most secret thoughts, unraveling her every thought... Just like the Eye had done only a thousand times stronger. Pushing back against it would've been like trying to stop a train at full speed. The deeper it went into her mind, the more she felt like she was losing part of herself. More than that... she was being devoured. She opened her mouth to scream but the only thing that escaped was panicked panting.

"You taste even better than I'd anticipated, Pure One," whispered the monster in her ear. "Tell me, how does corruption feel? I promise, if you stop resisting, you'll know no greater pleasure."

Summoning every ounce of will she had left, she reached for his mind, picturing hooks piercing into his presence. His mind was vile and disgusting. It was like trying to grab mud. But Zorc only chuckled at her touch.

"Well this is flattering. I didn't know you were so eager to become my meal."

 _NOW, ATEM!_

She couldn't see a thing anymore, but she heard the ancient king's booming voice shout out this prayer.

"I call upon the forces of this world, beyond time and beyond space! Powers of the Millennium, accept this offering and seal away this foul being that dares disrupt this world's balance! BEGONE DARK ONE!"

The Puzzle around Atem's neck shun brighter than ever before. Zorc understood too late what was going on and tried to separate his mind from Yugi's. But to her surprise even, her grip on him was unyielding. A strong force suddenly pulled her away from all of this. Exactly like at Pegasus's mansion when the Pharaoh had taken over her for the first time. Only this time, she felt like she was being torn apart. She felt herself fall down... deeper and deeper into that unknown darkness.

* * *

It took a moment for Joey to understand what was happening. The moment Atem finished talking, the Millennium Puzzle fell apart into a hundred pieces. The shadow suddenly split into a thousand different creatures, screeching and screaming like they were in atrocious pain. And when the man in the middle spoke, it was with a British accent.

"This can't be happening! Get a hold of yourself, Zorc!"

But no one responded and the shadow kept shrinking as more spirits escaped and scattered away into the Shadow Realm. They released Yugi who fell to the ground like a rag doll, and soon, the dark stains on Bakura's skin faded. He looked at his shaking hands in disbelief.

"No! I was so close... I was finally there!" Clenching his teeth, he turned to Yugi and grabbed her by the collar, pulling her face close to him. "You! Your ruined everything, you little..."

He stopped when he saw that she was unresponsive. Her eyes were open, but she was looking at nothing in particular and her head and limbs were hanging. Fear struck Joey. Completely forgetting the pain, he raced down the crater and threw a fist at Bakura. The white-haired boy let go of her to avoid the hit.

"Keep yar hands off her!"

Dropping to his knees, he gathered the petite girl in his arms. She was till unmoving and worse, she felt almost cold to the touch. He shook her and called out for her but she didn't respond. A slow and faint pulse was the only sign of life. He threw a murderous and panicked glare at the British boy.

"What the hell did ya do, ya son of a bitch?"

"How the bloody hell should I know? I'm the one getting screwed over here! Arg!"

A cry of pain escaped the Thief King when Kaiba's foot collided with stomach and he fell to the ground, nearly vomiting. But the billionaire was not done with him. He kicked him in the face before grabbing his arm and twisting it in his back so hard that his shoulder popped.

"If you don't start talking I will break every bone in your body starting with your arms," threatened Kaiba with a low voice that meant business and did little to hide the fury inside.

"He did nothing," said Atem as he and Kisara, who'd regained human form, joined them at the bottom of the crater. "I did."

"Explain yourself," said Seto, throwing a murderous glare at the ancient king.

But Atem walked over to the immobilized Bakura, frowning at him. "Your quest ends here, Akefia. You've been wandering this world for far too long. It's time for you to rest for good."

The white-haired boy clenched his teeth in rage. He knew he'd lost but a few seconds later, a chuckled escaped him. "I know what you've done. You sacrificed her to lock up the monster inside the Puzzle, didn't you? Isn't that precious, oh mighty benevolent king? Sacrificing your dear Pure One for the sake of the world. What a noble sacrifice. How did it feel?"

"What is he talking about, Pharaoh?" asked Joey, hoping he'd heard wrong.

But again, Atem didn't reply and focused on the Thief King. "The battle is over for you. I, on the other hand, have not lost yet."

"And how do you expect to get her back? Wait another five millennia for someone else to fetch her? That worked out great last time. Remember what it was like inside? She's going to experience the same loneliness and pain that you did for all of this time. She must be so scared and confused, poor thing."

He laughed again, out loud this time, making sure his laughter echoed in the Shadow Realm.

"I change my mind, I think I'm satisfied with this ending. Knowing you caused the doom of someone dear to you and that they're going to suffer for eternity... that's even better than have you go through it. Lets see you try to cross into the afterlife with a regret like this one, Pharaoh."

That last comment was the final straw. Atem raised his hand and grabbed the Thief King's face. "Burn in hell, vermin. Mind crush!"

An agonizing scream escaped the British boy and blood leaked out of his eyes as his soul was being chased out of his host's body. When silence fell on them again, Kaiba let him go and he fell to the ground, unconscious. The real Bakura that is.

"It's over," said Kisara, looking at the sky as if she could see something they couldn't. "The Thief King is gone."

The white spirit approached Joey and took Yugi from his arms, infusing her with more of her aura.

"This should keep her vitals going for a little while, but you have to hurry Pharaoh. If half a soul can't keep a body alive for long, no soul at all means certain death. I can't keep this going for long."

Joey stared at Atem in disbelief before his own fury caught him off guard and he threw himself on the ancient king, punching him in the face. "You bastard! How could you do this to her? Using her blood and sucking on her soul to bring you back from the dead wasn't enough?! You just had to use her as bait?!"

Atem spat blood before facing him again. He was as calm as ever, but his calmness didn't hide the anger he felt. "There was no other way. Without this, the battle would have ended just like the last one. This was Yugi's idea."

Now Joey wanted to punch himself in the face. Of course it was her idea. That idiot! Damn it, she was supposed to run away from things like that like a normal person! So why did it always end up like this? Was it his fault? If he'd just let her be a coward would it have been different? Would she be safe right now? Damn it all, damn it all, damn it all!

"There might be something we can do," said the Pharaoh, pulling him out of his thoughts. "It's a slim chance, but she's not gone. I can sense the part of her soul inside me calling out for the other. We have to reconstruct the Puzzle quickly."

Of course! That's how she'd freed the Pharaoh in the first place. Without wasting a minute, the ancient king crouched down and set down all the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle that he'd picked up in front of him.

"Wait, we don't have that kind of time," said Joey. "It took Yugi months to finish that thing, and she's in a league of her own when it comes to that."

Pushing him out of the way, the young CEO knelt down as well and started examining the pieces. "Speak for yourself, mutt. If there's anyone that can keep up with her brain, it's me."

"And the Puzzle was mine before it was hers, I know it like the back of my hand," he explained as he already started reassembling it. "However, that's only part of the problem. It's very likely that Yugi has no memory of who or where she is. We need to call out to her somehow."

"But you just popped out of the Puzzle and took over her body..."

"My body perished a long time ago, and half of my soul is already passed on. The only reason I cling to this world is because of the pure one's blood. This is the only part of me left in this world. Yugi is till here entirely but she is in pieces. We need to reassemble her soul before she fades completely."

"I still don't get it..."

Kisara's face betrayed that this was the limit of what they could do. "Both part of the soul need to call out to each other so that their resonance can bring them back together."

It took a moment to process everything. Keeping up with all of this crap had been making him use his brain one too many times. When the logic buckle clicked in his head, he stopped breathing.

"But she won't remember who she is. Let alone that she's in pieces."

* * *

 **Yugi has no memory, is on the verge of death and is locked up in the puzzle with Zorc? What could go wrong?**

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	35. Deeper desires

**Ooookay! I did not plan for this chapter to be this long initially buuuuut it turned out this way given the extra time I spent on it. Sorry for the tardiness. Again.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

First it was dark. So dark. Everything was dark. She was dark. Her mind was dark. The air around her was dark. She was falling through darkness. She felt dark. She was dark. So so dark. Suddenly, something hard hit her back. The impact was strong but she felt no pain. Managing to open her eyes, she saw that it was a little less dark. She pushed herself up to a sitting position. All around her were stone staircases leading to doors. Thousands and thousands of doors of every size and shape. In the walls, on the floor even on the ceiling. All of them had one thing in common; the Eye of Horus staring right at her.

"Where am I?" she muttered, not even realizing that she was speaking out loud.

But that wasn't what scared her the most. Where you are does not really matter if first you don't know who you are. She raised two shaking hands to observe them, gawking in shock. Who was she? She had a name. She knew she had one. She had to have one! Others called her by that name. Others... which others? Shivers shook her and goose bumps appeared all over her skin. The only sound she heard was her panicked panting echoing all around. This was unbearable.

"Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing. "Please! Is anyone here?"

Only silence answered her. Her legs moved on their own running up and down the strange staircases. One by one, she tried opening the doors, but none of them would budge. So she kept running, climbing stairs, calling out for someone, anyone. It seemed to go on for hours. Her body didn't seem to tire which was that much more frightening. It wasn't normal, nothing about this place was. Why did she feel so... void? Something was missing. Distracted by her panicked thoughts, her foot caught on the last step and she crashed on the stone ground. Again, it didn't hurt. Why didn't it hurt? There wasn't even a scratch on her. A fall like that should be painful!

"I can't feel it..." She clenched a hand on her chest, searching for the pounding and sound of her heartbeat. "Why can't I feel it?"

She was hollow. The gut-grabbing realization paralyzed her. She curled upon the ground trying to contain the uncontrollable shaking but it did nothing. She sobbed but no tears escaped, like her eyes had lost the ability to cry. Where was her heart? Where was her sense of pain? Was she... Was she even alive anymore? The need to scream seized her but the only sounds escaping her were her dry sobs. There was nowhere to run. There was nothing to do. This was a prison she couldn't escape from no matter what she did. She closed her eyes, begging for the darkness to take her somewhere else. Somewhere she wouldn't be alone or cold. Unexpectedly, she got an answer in the form of a scream making her push herself up.

"What the..."

The echo made it impossible to know where exactly the scream came from. So she wasn't alone? Holding her breath, she listened waiting to hear more. A slow, dragging sound reached her ears and she looked in the direction of a hallway that disappeared into the darkness.

"I was so close, I was almost there. I was there," muttered a broken voice. "Curse you, Pharaoh! Curse you!"

Something told her she should move and quick. But the weight of the loneliness and the fear of going through that again told her to stay. The combination of both forbade her to move. So she just stared at the dark hallway until she saw something moving there. Someone was crawling on the floor towards her. When the cursing figure finally stepped into the light, she saw that it was a young man in his early twenties. But he was so skinny, he looked more like a skeleton than a human and his tunic seemed three sizes too big. His skin was dark but lighter stains tainted it, like it was discoloring. And he already had plenty of white hair. No doubt about it; this man was sick. Very sick. He stopped his ranting when he spotted her and his eyes widened in shock.

"You..." he said, his voice dripping with rising anger. "All because of you!"

With a predator like scream, the sickly man pushed himself up and ran towards her on all four, frighteningly fast. A jolt of panic shook her and she sprang up to run away. Only the time it took her to get back on her feet was all the time the man needed to reach her. Before she could even start running, his cold hand wrapped around her ankle and she crashed down again and he dragged her towards him while she desperately struggled. For someone who looked this bad, he was unbelievably strong. Grabbing her shoulder, he flipped her on her back so she would face him. Terror struck her even more when she saw his eyes burning with bright red fury and she raised her hands to protect her face.

"Don't hide from me, Pure One!"

Pinning both her wrist on each side of her head, he loomed over her, clenching his teeth like an angry dog. For a moment, she thought he was going to bite her. Still she felt no pain. The fear was real though. Pure One. She knew that was her. He knew her, but who was he?

"You've ruined everything! The world was mine for the taking! Humanity was mine! How can a worthless little girl like you have tricked me? How could I have lost to you of all people? I had you at my mercy. How did you trap me? Answer me!"

Everything he said sounded crazy but strangely familiar. But what had she done to make this person so angry?

"I... I don't know!" she said, shaking her head. "I swear I don't know..."

His face twisted in fury and he let go of her wrists to wrap his skeletal hands around her neck and squeeze as hard as he could, cutting off her airway. Reflexively, she scratched at his hands and struggle, trying to make him let go and get the precious oxygen in her lungs. He was squeezing so hard, she thought her neck would break before she died of strangulation. And then she realized it didn't hurt.

"You're nothing compared to me! Just a pathetic insect that I can crush anytime I wish! How dare you trap me here like an animal? I was going to be the most powerful creature known to mankind and spiritkind! You just had to interfere!"

At every word, he tightened his hold on her. But it still didn't hurt. An she realized that the air she wasn't getting wasn't missed. So she stopped struggling. She really was just hollow. His hands were shaking so hard against her.

"Wh-Why aren't you squirming?"

Again, she just shook her head, more terrified of herself than of him this time. "I-I don't know."

His eyes widened in shock this time and he stared at her in disbelief. "How are you invulnerable? How? Tell me!"

He froze for a moment. "Of course. You're only a fragment. Your second half is still with that lowly worm. You haven't got a single memory left."

He growled like an angry dog before getting off of her and looking around, pacing back and forth, rubbing his face and pulling on his hair like he was trying to contain something.

"My shadows. Where are my shadows?"

He looked at his hands and body. As if he'd only just realized his appearance, he started wailing in panic and rubbing something invisible off his skin. It had no effect so he screamed in agony, scratching harder with his nails this time. But instead of bleeding, it was like he was shedding.

"No, no, no, no, no, no! It's not possible, this can't be happening! Disgusting, disgusting, disgusting! I was there, I was almost there! I was almost God!"

Tears burst out of his eyes, adding to the pitiful display. Yugi was horrified at the sight of this psychotic breakdown. She had nothing to fear from him anymore. So instead, a wave of pity swept her. This was so... sad somehow.

* * *

Atem had sent his divine protectors away to heal. Tea and Tristan were still unmoving and unresponsive. Kisara was still holding Yugi close, infusing her with as much energy as she could, keeping her weak body alive. Kaiba and the Pharaoh were still crouched down picking up the golden pieces from the ground and analyzing their shapes with unbreakable concentration. It had taken Yugi weeks to put the Puzzle back together. Compared to that, these two were going at super speed. They'd already build back a good part of the base. They said nothing to each other, as if their brains were in synch to reach that one goal. Something that, until now, Joey never thought he'd see Kaiba do. The billionaire did unexpected thing when it came to her. And now, the blond boy was just standing there watching everyone.

'Damn it. I can't do shit. Again,' he thought, clenching his fists.

He thought about her. Having no memory, trapped in a place of darkness and loneliness. How was she? The worst part was not knowing if once they'd reconstructed the Puzzle, Yugi would be able to reconnect with the other half of her soul. Damn it. He'd just found her. He'd give anything to be with her right now, it didn't matter if it was the deepest pit of hell. He bit his lips.

"God dammit!" he shouted making the others jump. "I can't take this anymore!"

"Joey, letting anger get to you won't help any..." began Kisara.

"I know that! But I can't sit my ass here doin' nothin' while she's in there, scared out of her mind and with that thing! Who knows what he's doin' to her in there?"

"Zorc is not a threat to her anymore," said the Pharaoh, without ever taking his eyes off the Millennium Item. "All that's left of him is a decaying soul. The moment we complete the Puzzle he'll be released and sent to the after life."

"Shut up and let us concentrate, mutt," said Kaiba throwing him and Atem a cold glare. "If you want to be useful, then try to find a way to reconnect Yugi with her other half."

Okay, now he was just trying to piss him off. Even he knew not to overestimate his brainstorming capabilities. "How the hell am I suppose to..."

"Figure it out!" snapped the billionaire, exasperated. "You're the one who managed to get into her head. If there's one time in your life you should use your brain, it's now, Wheeler."

Get into her head? The hell did he mean by that? He didn't brainwash her. If anything, she got into his. What did he know about piecing back together a soul? He couldn't even complete a cross word puzzle correctly. Desperate, he walked over to Kisara and crouched down. If it weren't the slowly rising chest, Yugi would look dead. Her eyes were glassy, her skin whiter than snow... Something pinched his heart and he punched the ground, sending a wave of pain through his wounded arm.

"Kisara. What do I do? How do I save her?"

The white spirit closed her eyes for a moment. "The essence of life is as much a mystery to me as it is to you. But if I was to describe a soul... it's a little like memories. You forget a lot of things, but there's always that feeling of familiarity present in your mind. It never leaves and pesters you until you remember."

"What are ya sayin'?"

"She's incomplete right now. She needs something to literally pull herself together. A core. Humans build their identity on their experiences and memories. You know her. What's at her core? What touches her the most? Who is she?"

His brain never worked as fast as in this moment. Who was she was a difficult question. The first word that came to mind was kindness.

"She's selfless."

Kisara shook her head. "No good. Selfless people easily forget themselves. Think of something stronger. Something she strives for."

"Games. She loves games. Puzzles and all that stuff just calls out to her. She's like a natural problem solver."

Even problems like him.

'Is that why you couldn't leave me alone, Yug?' he thought, trailing his hand on her cold cheek. 'I was a problem ya had to solve. Didn't take ya long to crack me though, did it?'

"Everything that comes to your mind," continued Kisara, "take a step back and find a pattern. When was she herself the most? What was happening then?"

His memory kicked in again, replaying every moment he'd spent with her in the past few months. He'd seen her play her games multiple times but somehow it didn't fit. Maybe it had nothing to do with games at all. What if it had something to do with freeing her of her cowardice and fear? When she'd freed them from Jiro? No way, that was out of desperation. How about when she'd fought back against Pegasus? Technically, that hadn't been her. An image popped into his mind. The one moment he'd seen her be completely free from everything.

"The gathering..."

" _Are you kidding? I had the time of my life!"_ said the Yugi of his memory. _"I never danced like that before! Well I've never danced at all but... wow!"_

He remembered her slight apprehension when he pulled her into the circle to dance. And then, when she suddenly let go of it, losing herself in the moment without a care in the world. Did she know how proud of her he'd been in that moment? And how scared? It was the moment he'd thought 'she won't need me anymore'.

"I don't think she has more than a few minutes," suddenly said Kisara, before shouting at the two others. "Pharaoh, Seto! You have to hurry."

Neither bothered replying. They only clenched their teeth and kept at their task. Sweat drops dripped down both their faces. But they were progressing. The white spirit turned back to him.

"Anything?"

"Yeah, I think I got something. Ya think she can hear me?"

"She's neither asleep nor in a coma. I wouldn't say she can hear you but... you should be able to reach her."

"Good."

He looked at her again, running his hand through her thick hair and gently massaging her skull. This was his last card. Taking a deep breath, he started singing old Joffo's song. His voice didn't come close to the old gypsy's enchanting sound. But he sang in tune and that was what counted. He hoped.

Atem suddenly brought his hand to his chest. "Her second half... It's responding. Keep going Joey! It's working."

* * *

The sickly man squirmed on the ground, curling up like she had and screaming in fear. It became harder to watch by the second. Why did she feel like this? By all means this should feel righteous considering what he'd done to her just moments ago. But she couldn't help it. She waited for Zorc to quiet down a bit before approaching him. He couldn't hurt her, what did she have to lose?

"You're scared of dying. Aren't you?"

He froze for a moment, and stood completely silent. Next thing she knew, his hand was around her neck again. She jumped out of surprise. But it still didn't hurt and she still didn't miss the oxygen so she didn't move. The glare he threw her was murderous.

"What do you know? You're going to die too and nothing can change that!" More tears of rage and fear streamed down his face.

"You're young but you're weak,' she began carefully choosing her words. "You were born like this. Born sick, I mean."

"Be quiet," he ordered, squeezing harder but to no avail.

She wanted to do as he said, but the words just kept coming.

"People around you, your family, your doctors... Everyone was scared because they didn't know what was happening to you. All your life, you were told that you could die at any moment."

"Shut up!"

His cry only showed more of his pain. And she still couldn't stop.

"You were alone. All alone facing that fate you couldn't escape from. Like a sheep waiting to get slaughtered." Her breathing became quicker. If she could cry, she would. "And there was no one there to help you."

His eyes widened, trading anger for pure shock.

"That's why you wanted to be immortal."

Slowly, his grip on her loosened and his hand fell. He stared at her for a long moment.

"How could you possibly know this? Are you a witch?"

She had no idea how she knew what she knew. It was pure intuition. But it didn't matter anymore. She knew for sure. This man was in pain. So so much pain. And that was all that mattered. Hesitantly, she moved and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm so sorry," she said, her voice breaking. "No one should have to live like that. You can't run from it anymore... but it'll be okay. I promise."

More silence went by. Then he started chuckling but it was not out of amusement.

"Don't be so naive. All that's waiting for me on the other side is hell."

She expected him to push her away again, but to her surprise he rested his head on her shoulder, like extreme exhaustion had finally caught up with him.

"You words are five thousand years too late."

Suddenly, what she was holding slipped through her embrace. In a matter of seconds, he crumbled until all that was left was a grey pile of ashes. She stared in disbelief, looking at the residue slip through her fingers. Almost immediately, the Eye of Horus of the nearest door lit up and opened. The ashes were then swept away into the darkness and the door shut in her face. She stared in awe, unable to process.

"W-What just happened? What's going..."

She stopped talking when a smooth breeze suddenly reached her, playing with her hair. But it wasn't an ordinary wind. It was warm. Warming her up in fact. The shivers were slowly fading. Questioning her presence here suddenly became minor concern, and she got up and began to walk in the direction the wind was coming from. Going up and down more staircases, she made her way into her prison looking for the source of that breeze. Then it was no longer just a breeze. She felt it through her like a vibration or a tickle. It was soothing but urging at the same time. So she picked up the pace. Again and again, she entered room after room of doors, searching for it. She entered another room with a hundred doors all over. And the vibration suddenly became a hum.

"I know this song."

Something moved in her chest. A second time. Then a third time. Bringing a hand to it, she felt her heart beat. And she knew. One of these doors... One of these doors would take her where she had to be. One by one, she tried opening them. Five, ten, twelve... But none of them would budge no matter how much force she put in.

"Something is missing..."

As if on cue, all Eyes of Horus suddenly lit up and she brought her arms up to protect her eyes from the intense light. But soon it vanished, and she was back in the almost dark atmosphere. Only the hum was gone. Panic struck her. She couldn't feel her heartbeat anymore. It was so quiet.

"No," she let out, looking around frantically. "No, please... Please don't go! Please don't leave me!"

Tearless sobs escaped her again as she crumbled to the ground staring at the identical doors.

"Please, don't leave me alone... Please," she begged knowing no one would hear her.

* * *

"Done!" exclaimed the Pharaoh, holding the last piece over the Puzzle. "May the Gods and destiny be on our side."

Joey held his breath. Kisara and Kaiba did the same as Atem completed the Puzzle. The Millennium Item shun brighter than ever but they refused to look away. But soon enough, the light died away. And Yugi's body remained unmoving. The ancient king stared at the golden artifact in disbelief before placing a hand on his chest.

"I can't feel her," he let out clenching his teeth. "No... This can't be it!"

The young billionaire just stared, face struck with shock and horror. There was nothing left to do. There was nothing left he could do. And for Kaiba, that was more unbearable than anything. Kisara lowered her eyes in defeat, her face twisting in pain and sadness. Something broke inside Joey's chest.

"No. No, no, no!" Grabbing the unconscious girl's shoulder her shook her. "Yugi! Yugi, wake up! It's me Joey! Say somethin'! Please!"

But the empty shell that was her body didn't respond. Breathing became painful. His lungs were burning and it was like his own throat was trying to choke him. Pulling the short girl off the spirit he wrapped his arms around her, burying his head in her . And when he spoke, his voice broke.

"Come on, Yug..." he said, sobbing against her. "Ya can't go. Not now. Please, don't go...Please... Wake up..."

* * *

It was over. She was alone and the void inside her was going to devour her whole. And she didn't understand why? Why did everything had to end like this? What had she done? A tear streamed down her face. Wait, was she crying? Passing her hand on face, she indeed wiped a small drop. It tasted salty. It was a tear. But then she felt something fall on her forehead and wiped it as well. Another tear. Then another one and another one. Looking up, she looked at one of the doors higher up. Water was leaking through the cracks, making it look like the Eye of Horus was crying. Briefly, it lit up a couple of times. Like an old flickering light bulb. This time, her heart hammered in her chest. Springing forward, she raced to the upper floor and pushed open the door throwing herself on the other side unafraid of what was waiting for her.

* * *

Aside from Joey's sobs, a morbid silence hovered over the crater. Their victory was now pointless and insignificant to all of them. No victory should cost this much. It wasn't right, it wasn't fair. The blond boy held the short girl close, refusing to let go. First Serenity. Then his mom. Why did he have to lose her too? Then, a slow clapping sound got their attention. The ambassador of the Shadow Realm was back, smiling at them.

"Congratulations. You've defeated the Dark One once and for all. And lucky for you, your two friends have managed to hang on this long. They will return with you to the outside world as promised."

"Could you give us a moment longer?" asked the Pharaoh, clutching the Puzzle like he wanted to crush it. "Not that it matters to a cursed soul, but we lost someone."

The creature raised an eyebrow before turning towards Kisara. "Now I'm disappointed, white dragon. I thought spirits as strong as you could easily sense when the purest soul in the world is right next to you. Even I can sense her from here."

"What?" exclaimed Kaiba.

All eyes turned to the Puzzle. The golden artifact had already started cracking all over. It was breaking apart. And through the cracks, a faint white light shun. The Pharaoh's eyes widened when he realized that the reason he couldn't feel Yugi's soul in him was because it had returned to its other half.

"KISARA!" shouted Atem as he tossed her the Item.

The second it landed in her hands, it crumbled apart and the broken pieces lit up and floated up towards the purple sky like fireflies. All that was left in the spirit's hands was a ball of white light that seemed to be beating like a heart.

"Joey, move!" she ordered pushing him away and flipping Yugi on her back on the ground.

With that, she pushed the little sphere against her chest until it entered her completely. A few, insufferable seconds went by, before the petite girl's eyes suddenly brightened and she took a deep breath, as if she'd been staying under water too long. There was no describing the feeling of pure relief that shot through Joey's chest and it took everything he had to keep himself from crushing her against him.

"Welcome back," said Kisara, smiling.

Yugi panted, staring in confusion at the people around her, peering at them one by one. Kaiba placed a hand on hers.

"Yugi," he said, whose worry showed on his entire face. "Do you know who we are?"

Still breathing heavily, she nodded. "Kaiba, Kisara, Joey... Atem."

She stopped on the last one, looking at Atem's face in contemplation as tears escaped her eyes. "I'm so sorry..."

"You're sorry? What for?"

"I was in there just a few minutes. It felt like hours... I was... alone. It was...horrible. But you... You were in there five thousand years..."

"Enough," ordered the ancient king, placing a hand on her cheek to wipe the tears. "You're out now. It's over."

"How did you do it?" asked Kisara. "How did you remember?"

Again, it took her a moment to answer. But her eyes crossed Joey's and a small smile managed to make its way to her face. "I think... I just really wanted to dance with you again for some reason. Weird, huh?"

A fake yawn interrupted the happy reunion and the group looked up at the shadow creature. "That's very touching and all, but it's about time you living souls got out of my Shadow Realm. There's only so much positivity we rotten souls can take."

"Thank you for everything," said Atem. "We'll be on our way once we grab the two others..."

"No need for that, I'm sending you all back. Get out of here."

The creature snapped its fingers and next thing they knew, all of them fell and only stopped when they hit... water? Joey was the first to resurface.

"Seriously? Why are all lost souls such dicks?" he cursed, spitting out water before turning towards the others. "Yup, ya alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Yugi said as she grabbed the edge to pull herself out of the water.

Kaiba grabbed her ankle and pushed her out before following her out. He took off his shirt and wringed it to get as much water out as he could. "I guess we're back in the temple. But what is this place?"

"The chamber of the sacred pool," replied Kisara, helping Atem out of the water. "You'll notice that your injuries are already healing."

Joey pulled up his sleeve and saw that his butchered arm was now barely scratched up. "Anyone else think this is kind o' creepy?"

"I have a better question," said a voice they hadn't heard in a while. "Why are we wet?"

Joey's face lit up when he saw Tristan and Tea swimming towards them. They looked confused but unharmed. The ambassador had kept its promise. They clearly had no memory of their trials. The blond fished out Tristan while Kaiba grabbed Tea.

"What the hell happened?" asked the pointy-haired boy. "I can't remember a thing after entering the gate."

"We'll explain later, man. Glad to see ya in one piece."

"Yugi!" exclaimed Tea, throwing her arms around her friend the second she was out of the water. "Thank God, you're okay! I'm so glad. You are alright, right?"

"I'm fine really," she replied, smiling reassuringly. "I'm glad you're safe too."

But the look of worry didn't leave the brunet's face. "What happened? I can't remember a thing... And who is that guy?"

"Everything will be explained later," said Atem, before frowning at the water. "First, I believe we have another issue on our hands."

Everyone got on guard and looked at the middle of the pool. Joey's heart almost stopped. A white-haired figure was floating in the middle of the pool. staring at them.

"Bakura!" exclaimed Tristan.

The Thief King looked at them with... scared eyes?

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" said the British boy with a frightened voice.

* * *

 **Warning: Prepare your handkerchieves. You'll need it for next chapter.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	36. Returns

**Darn it! Deadlines and me really don't go together!**

 **Anyways, I can't not leave a special thank you to tinyetoile and Dan G. Panterita for making** **super-dupper-mega-awesome fanart of my story! You guys have no idea how much that flatters my ego! Thank you so much!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Why do I have to carry him?" whined Tristan, adjusting the passed out white-haired boy on his back.

"Cause ya're the one who did the less work, buddy," replied Joey. "It's just fair. Besides, we're kind of busy here."

Yugi glanced at the real Bakura as the group was now heading back towards the temple. Kisara had judged wiser to put him to sleep since he was panicking and thinking of them as kidnappers and explaining it to him would've been too long. They didn't have time for that. Her eyes then turned back to the Pharaoh. All of their wounds had gradually faded after they'd stepped out of the water... except for Atem. The second they'd started walking, the ancient king had started feeling dizzy. So much that he was holding on to Joey for support and he looked like a ghost. It was nearly time. And he wanted to be left where he'd been found; his resting place. He'd warned them that it was going to be like that. But that didn't keep Yugi from feeling sick. The near death experience had left her so confused that it was easier to focus on the present. She felt compelled to ask.

"Are you okay, Pharaoh?"

"I'm fine," he replied, smiling at her through the strain he was putting on himself. "In fact, I am a bit excited. I have waited five thousand years for this."

She shook her head at him. "How can you be so calm? You're about to die..."

He kept on smiling. "No, little one. I'm about to be freed for good."

"Aren't you scared at all?" She asked remembering Zorc's breakdown when he processed that he was going to bite it.

"After being trapped in the Puzzle for so long and having faced the darkness again, this doesn't seem so threatening."

Really? Because she sure as hell would still be scared even after all of this mess.

"Besides," continued Atem. "I will not be going alone."

Yugi followed his gaze to Kisara who'd been quiet this whole time and the white spirit smiled back. Unlike her king, she showed no sign of weakening. It was probably due to her spirit-self keeping her strong. Or maybe it was because she was occupying Kisa's body. Either way, they'd have to say goodbye to her too. They seemed genuinely happy, and it was understandable. They were finally going to join their friends and family after so long. But she couldn't seem to feel happy for them. Maybe the last few weeks had given her a permanent state of worry. Hello, therapy.

"Good riddance," said Kaiba, pulling her out of her thoughts. "The quicker you two are out of our hair, the sooner we can go back home."

"Kaiba!" snapped Joey and Yugi in unison.

"Oh please, don't tell me anyone wants to stay here more than they have to."

Yugi took a breath to give him a piece of her mind, but Atem's chuckle stopped her.

"I think it's about time we all return home."

That line silenced everyone and the group moved on. The only sound they made was the one of their wet shoes hitting the ground. Strange. Out of everyone, Yugi was definitely the quietest. But there was always someone to start a conversation. Tea and Joey were the type to keep the chat going. But both of them were also very quiet. Another wave of guilt made her bite her lips in frustration. She'd seen them get hurt, she knew that they'd visited their own personal hells in the Shadow Realm. Even Tea and Tristan, who'd forgotten what they saw, were unusually pensive. And her brunette friend stuck abnormally close to the pointy-haired boy. Walking side by side, looking at the ground, occasionally glancing at each other and exchanging fake smiles... Like they shared something bad. Memory or not, they hadn't come out unscathed.

Joey and Kaiba were both looking straight ahead, like warriors on a mission. They couldn't look back to see what they'd lost. Just how much had they broken themselves trying to get to her? She wanted to say something, but no words came to mind. In the end, she was just as broken as them, wasn't she? What could she possibly do?

Her eyes found Joey again. There was so much pain in his life already. His father, the Scarlet Wolves, living in Hoshu, fending for himself... Why did he have to go through all of that as a sick bonus? Thankfully, she got distracted before she could start crying when they arrived at the temple. To her surprise, the sarcophagus had been brought back on the platform. But the spots where the Millennium Items had been were empty. On the stairs leading to the platform, were Marik and Odion. Both of the Tomb Keepers had miserable looks on their faces. When they saw them, they kneeled.

"Pharaoh," greeted Marik. "The Items have disappeared. Is it over?"

"Stand, Tomb Keepers," replied Atem, letting go of Joey to stand on his own. "The Dark One is no more. I assume the souls of Kul-Elna have been released."

He sighed in relief but still no joy showed in his eye. "At last."

"You have my condolences for your loss, Marik."

Yugi looked around, but though a large blood stain still tainted the platform, the priestess's body was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Ishizu?"

"Our sister has been buried alongside our ancestor," said Odion, reading her mind. "Pure One, we have no right to ask for your forgiveness, nor do we expect you to give it to us. We were blinded by our faith in the scriptures, and you've suffered the consequences of our ignorance. As penance, we will accept any punishment you see fit. Even if what you demand is our lives."

It took her a moment to register what she was being told. Her mouth moved to say something but nothing came out. These people were the reason her life had been turned into a nightmare. They had almost killed her. But how was she suppose to react? Helplessly, she looked at the ancient king for advice.

"I will not stop you," said Atem. "You are owed too much..."

"Are you serious?" interrupted the young billionaire. "Living underground like cavemen your entire life doesn't give you immunity for kidnapping and attempted murder. Not to mention the trail of dead bodies you've left behind. You freaks deserve way more than a quick death sentence for what you've done. I can make sure you're put in a maximum security prison in the middle of the Californian desert in solitary confinement for the rest of your worthless lives."

"Kaiba, stop it," said Yugi, throwing him a pleading look.

He was about to start arguing with her too, but when he saw the pleading look she was throwing him he rolled his eyes in annoyance but backed down. She eyed the two men in front of her.

"I... I know you did what you did for a reason," she began, scratching the back of her neck nervously. "In the end, you're the ones who lost someone. I think that's punishment enough."

Odion and Marik's eyes widened in surprise. If she'd looked to the side, she'd have seen the ancient king smile.

"All of us... we've been manipulated from the start. Baku... I mean the Thief King played us all like puppets. But... I can't forgive you. I-I don't think I can. Not now at least."

That was true. She'd never forget what was done to her, here or back home. These people... their faces would haunt her for the rest of her life. She'd need time. A lot of time.

"Then please," said Marik, "accept this one promise. You will never lay eyes on us again."

An awkward smile made its way to her face. "I can take that."

Kisara took a step closer to Marik. "Would you be so kind as to open the spirit gate one more time? I must release my spirit-self in order to pass on."

Marik and Odion immediately stepped onto the platform to repeat their chant and the spirit gate opened at their command. But the instant the bright light filled the room, a large black shape flew out of it and headed straight for Joey. The blond boy let out a cry of shock and fell on his butt when the shape hit him. Yugi's jaw almost hit the floor when she saw the black dragon growling furiously at him.

 _You reckless fool! Returning to the shadow realm after nearly getting killed by divine fire... Have you lost your mind? Do you have any idea the danger you were in?_

Once the initial shock passed, the blond boy flashed a smile at the giant creature. "Sorry, Red-Eyes. I had somethin' important to do."

The spirit shook her head at him before touching foreheads with him.

 _Protecting you from malevolent spirits is my duty. Don't make that impossible for me by going to unholy places like that._

He kept on smiling and pet her on the head like she was a big dog growling at her owner for being late. "Don't sweat it. I ain't goin' back there anytime soon."

"Uh , Joey..." let out Yugi, wondering if she should be worried.

"Oh right." Joey stood back up. "Guys, this is Red-Eyes. She's my... uh, guardian angel, I guess."

"You have a kindred spirit too?" asked Yugi, unable to take her eyes off the creature.

"Most humans do," commented Kisara.

Wow. That was... wow. Joey had something like that watching over him? Kindred spirits kept malevolent spirits at bay according to Atem. For some reason, it made her think of how amazing of a person Joey had turned out to be despite his environment and upbringing. It was crazy but maybe it was because Red-Eyes had protected him from corrupting creatures. Amazing. She thought of her little furry companion who'd been devoured by Zorc. Was she left vulnerable without him? Well wasn't that comforting.

"It's time," said Atem glancing at the white spirit.

Kisara nodded back. Her white light surrounded her and a ghostlike shape stepped out of the body. There were now two of them. Kisa had finally regained control of her body stared at her other self. Kisara shun brighter and morphed into her dragon form.

 _I'm ready, Pharaoh._

Atem stepped closer to her and placed a gentle hand on her cheek. His eyes had a sad expression to them, and they weren't due to the extreme exhaustion. "I promised I would get you out of here and protect you. But in the end, all I did was put you in more danger. And you have saved me three times now. I'm indebted to you."

She shook her head. "No, you're not. You may not remember but you saved me too," she said remembering the Burger world incident and the time at Pegasus's mansion. "I think we're more than even."

Atem chuckled and took his hand back. "You're far too kind, Pure One. Be careful. That kindness might betray you someday."

It had already. Multiple times actually. "Is it wrong to be kind?"

"No, but it's good to be aware too."

Muffled snickering reached her ears and she rolled her eyes, knowing that the rest of the group was laughing at her. How many times had they told her that? Two warm arms suddenly wrapped around her shoulders from behind.

"Don't ya worry, Pharaoh," said Joey. "That's why she's got us to look after her! Right, Yug?"

Too close. Too close. Way too close! Her face flamed up and she was certain steam was coming out of her ears. Atem laughed at the display. "Well, it seems I leave you in good hands. Few people would do what your friends have done for you."

That put a smile on her face and she glanced at the rest of the group. "I know."

"Farewell, Yugi. Thank you again for lending me your soul."

Her smile faded and she a lump in her throat. How was it possible to have gotten attached to the Pharaoh in such a short amount of time? Her watering eyes answered that question. Quickly wiping them, she forced a smile.

"Goodbye, Atem."

The ancient king eyed Kaiba. "I trust you'll have them return safely."

"You don't have to tell me, old man. It's what I came here for."

The Pharaoh added nothing and stepped onto the platform before taking place in his sarcophagus. As he did that, the white dragon turned towards the young billionaire.

 _It seems like destiny does some things well. I was happy to meet you, Seto._

"Can't say the feeling's mutual," he replied crossing his arms on his chest. "But you did help us along the way. For that at least, I'm grateful."

"Only ya can make that sound like an insult, moneybags," said Joey. "But I guess that still counts as progress for ya."

"Shut up, mutt-face."

The white dragon shook her head before coming closer to Kisa and touching foreheads with her. The class rep's face showed surprise and when the spirit pulled back, she smiled at her. But Yugi didn't miss the sad expression in her friend's eyes.

"I know," said the class rep. "I'll be fine."

 _I bid you adieu, heir of mine. May fate be kind to you, Kisa Yamato._

With a few flaps of her wings, Kisara was besides the sarcophagus. So this was it? Those two were finally going to where they belonged. It was very strange but relieving to see them so peaceful. But Yugi's stomach tightened. Atem had been her other half for a moment. Her soul had been recovered but it still felt like she was losing something important. Every muscle in her body was tensed up, like she was holding herself back. And she had a hard time keeping her eyes off the ancient king. He must've been barely older than them when he died. He never had a real life. And there he was, heading for the final destination. A low growl pulled her out of her thoughts. The black dragon was looking at Joey.

 _I suppose this is when we part ways, Joey,_ said Red-Eyes. _It is unlikely you will see me again._

"Oh. Well, uh," replied the blond. He scratched the back of his neck nervously, as if searching for what to say. Then he smiled awkwardly. "It was nice meetin' ya, Red-Eyes. Also, thanks for watchin' out for me. Guess ya finally get a break from that."

 _Don't be a fool. People like you attract malevolent spirits like blood flies to a fresh cut._

"What do you mean 'people like him'?" asked Yugi.

 _That is not for me to tell, Pure One. Joey, you will not see me. But I will be there. Always, my reckless human._

Yugi could only guess how strange the blond boy felt. She'd felt plenty weird when she found out she had a kindred spirit. But as usual, he didn't seem to overthink it.

"Guess I have to start prayin' more often, don't I?"

 _Mind the blasphemy, Wheeler._ The dragon joked, hitting him in the shoulder with her tail. _Do_ t _ry to keep yourself out of trouble with your kind. I can only do so much._

The face he made would have people thinking he ate something bad. "Ya sound like Mai."

 _We essentially have the same job. Farewell, Joey._

Instead of replying the blond through her a salute sign and the black dragon disappeared out of sight. By the time, Yugi turned back towards the platform, the Pharaoh was nowhere to be seen and when she ran up the stone stairs to see, in the sarcophagus only remained dust. No way, he was already gone? But then, why was Kisara still here?

"Kisara?" asked Yugi, uncertain.

"It's not her," said Kisa. "Not really. She's gone. At least, her human-self is."

God knew how she knew that, but she did. It was over. Both were gone. That was too fast. Too smooth. But it was for the best. That was the moment she finally stopped trying to fight the emotion and two tears streamed down her cheeks. She'd really lost a friend, hadn't she? She must've stayed there too long, because next thing she knew, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the platform.

"Come on," said Kaiba. "We're out of here. Whoever doesn't want to be left behind better keep up."

"Your friend is right," confirmed Marik. "We all must leave. We will guide you out."

"Wait a minute, are you going to leave the gate open?" asked Kisa.

"The last fragment of the white dragon will take care of the rest," said Odion, grabbing a torch from the wall. Now that the darkness has finally vanished and the Pharaoh has been put to rest, our role as Tomb Keepers is over. We are no longer welcomed in this sacred place. It must be forgotten."

"But...isn't this your home?" asked Yugi.

The platinum blond Egyptian let nothing show on his face and simply turned around to lead the way out. "Follow us."

These people really sacrificed everything for their duty. In a way, it was admirable and she couldn't help but feel sorry for them, taking it all without flinching. The group followed Marik and Odion through the dark hallways in complete silence. When they stepped out, it took a moment for Yugi to get used to the sunlight. She'd been underground far too long. It was morning. She wished there was fresh air, but the heat was suffocating. Still, being outside felt good. They all got into the jeep-van, squeezing at the back to fit everyone. But they still remained quiet.

A few hours of silent driving went by. When they arrived in Cairo, the damages done by the storms and earthquakes were extensive, and the locals were hard at work clearing up the streets. Marik and Odion dropped them off at the hotel Kaiba told them about before driving away without so much as a final glance. They had every intention of leaving everything behind. That much Yugi was certain of. And it was better this way. In fact, if possible, it was what they should all do.

* * *

 **Bye Pharaoh, bye Kisara. *Sniffle* So, who's ready for a bit of shrink work next chapter?**

 **This chapter ended up being a lot more expositional than anything else, but i had to squeeze that in somewhere.** **Sorry about that. BUT...DON'T PUT THOSE HANDKERCHIEVES DOWN JUST YET! Next chapter will most definitely pull on your heartstrings on different levels. Better safe than sorry!**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	37. Friction

**I'm gettin' there. Little by little, I will regain my Monday posting ability! I made it extra long so you won't be too pissed at me. But honestly, if anyone has a magical cure for my laziness, I would be eternally grateful!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

When the real Bakura woke up, they had to come up with something to tell the poor guy. To his knowledge, he'd been kidnapped and kept asleep all of this time. It was vague, but they couldn't tell him the truth. So they just told him they'd found him there. It took Kaiba exactly ten minutes to confirm his identity by searching the UK's missing person's database. He'd been missing for a year. While Kaiba dealt with the local authorities to have the British boy sent home, Heaven be blessed, Yugi finally got to shower and eat something. Kisa let her borrow some clothes and with the help of a lot of pins, Tea made it so that it would temporarily fit her.

Then, they all packed. Kaiba had been clear; they were leaving asap. That was fine with her. Everyone was still quiet, none of them spoke if they didn't have too. As long as they were occupied, it was bearable, but she feared the moment they'd be in the plane. This mess... it had damaged her friends as well as her. And she was terrified as to what extent.

True to his words, Kaiba had the jet prepared for a midnight take off. The mystery remained as to how in the world he arranged for Yugi to leave the country without a passport or any type of ID. He wouldn't say. This guy was really not to be underestimated. The luxurious plane was impressive. It was almost as fancy as the hotel suite. Not that Yugi cared, she would've gone home in a canoe if she had to. There was even a couch which she proceeded to claim. A loud yawn escaped her but she still feared the moment she'd fall asleep. In the end, exhaustion got the upper hand.

She dreamed. In her dream, she was laying on her back on a wooden plank, floating on the ocean. The sea reflected the pitch black, starless sky. The water was calm, rocking her gently but she was restless. Like anything could just jump her at any moment. But nothing did. She kept floating, expecting something to attack her, until the moment something soft touched her face and pulled her out of her sleep. The soft thing turned out to be blond hair caressing her forehead. The realization made the blood rush to her face. She moved wrong and collided foreheads with Joey, brutally shaking him awake.

"Ow!" he shouted, bringing his head to his face. "What was that for, Yug?"

"Sorry, I'm sorry!" She let out a painful 'hmm', rubbing her forehead. She hadn't missed herself either. "But why were you sleeping in my face?"

"I wasn't planin' on it!" he retorted. "Seein' ya sleep made me drowsy...There's enough room on this couch for two people, ya know."

The pain suddenly became meaningless and she stared at him, dumbfounded. "You were watching me sleep?"

He froze for a moment, taking in her words and his face turned crimson."No! I mean, yeah, but not like that! I just wanted to be near ya, is all..."

Oh God, she just had to make it even more awkward by asking. It wasn't like Joey was some pervert. If anything, he didn't realize half the effect he had on her when he said stuff like that. Looking around, she searched for an excuse to change the subject. She spotted Kisa sleeping near the front of the plane. Further away, Tristan and Tea were next to each other, also sleeping.

"Where's Kaiba?" she asked.

"In the back room. Said he had to make a few calls. Guess even when ya travel the world to go save a friend, business moves on without ya."

True. Kaiba Corps was built to always be on the move with or without it's CEO present. He'd made sure of that. He really was a genius. She turned back to the two brunets.

"Those two've been glued to each other ever since we came back from the Shadow Realm, haven't they?" she muttered.

"Memory or not, they've been through hell and back together. They still got the trauma. I think they reassure each other in a way." There was a sad look in his eyes when he said that. "I mean, that's why I want ya near me."

There was so much melancholy in those words that the embarrassment that came with it went by unnoticed. Joey was as frustrated to see Tristan like this, as she was about Tea. But after sighing, in a very Joey-like fashion, he said.

"Tea went overboard with ya. Ya look like a human pin-cushion."

The comment made her smile awkwardly. "Gee, thanks."

But that bit of humor didn't keep the heavy atmosphere at bay for long. Yugi didn't have any specific thoughts bugging her. It just seemed impossible to relax and smile. And it affected all of them. How long was this going to last?

"How're ya feelin'? For real," he asked.

"I thought everything would be good once we got out of there, but... I don't know."

More silent went by.

"Why did ya use yourself as bait to catch Zorc?"

That was blunt. Every muscle in her body tensed. "It was the only thing I could think about. He was too strong and we didn't have time."

"Ya're an idiot. Scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry."

Again, more silence, during which she prayed that the boy wasn't going to ask her about what had happened inside the Puzzle.

"Yug... can I tell ya somethin'? Somethin' about me."

That was unexpected. But she was happy to have the opportunity to think about something else. "Sure. Yeah, of course."

He was hesitant with his words. "It's... how do I say this? It's unsettlin' and I don't wanna shake ya up anymore than ya already have..."

"Joey, you travelled halfway across the world and almost died to come find me. This is the least I can do for you."

He sighed and took a deep breath. And he was clearly avoiding her eyes. "I had a little sister, two years younger. Her name was Serenity. The day she died, I was supposed to watch out for her. But I didn't. She got beat to death."

Oh. Duke had already told her this story, but she'd never discussed it with Joey. Hearing it from Joey himself was like a slap in the face. She suddenly felt ashamed holding this knowledge and looked at the ground too.

"I...already knew," she confessed, nervously scratching the back of her neck. "Duke told me at the gathering. I'm sorry, he probably shouldn't have told me..."

His eyes widened and he stared at her. Crap, it really wasn't something she should be knowing. But he continued.

"After she died, my mom lost it. She started seein' her everywhere and talked like she was still with us. It made my old man got nuts. One day, he hit her pretty badly and she started packin' a suitcase in the middle of the night. I asked her where she was goin'. She told me she never should have given birth to me."

He paused for a moment, but his hands clutched one another. She stared, outraged. How could someone say that to their own child? She had trouble swallowing and an urge to hug him struck her. She knew it wasn't her shyness holding her back.

"I tailed her, but she never reached the train station. She stopped on the bridge that crosses over the interstate."

"Oh my God..." she let out, realizing.

"I knew what she was gonna do. But I couldn't move. I just watched. I had the time to get to her. But I didn't. I just watched. I... I couldn't move."

He'd watched his mom die? Here she thought she'd gotten to know him... What an idiot. She knew nothing about him. Well, there was no way she could've known that. She understood now. Why he was so frustrated with her when she wouldn't fight back. To him, it must've looked like she was giving up. He had gone through hell and back multiple times.

"Sorry. Maybe this was a bad idea..."

"How do you do it?" she asked. "How do you stay this strong?"

"That's just it. I ain't that strong. I was too late for Serenity. I was too late for my mom. And I was almost too late for ya. I don't think I'd be able to take another blow like that. I can't lose ya, Yug. I can't."

There it was. That pain he usually kept buried inside himself, hidden behind his goofy smile. She hated it. It shouldn't be on his face. It shouldn't be eating at him from the inside out. Something broke inside her chest, and next thing she knew she was hugging him. Good Lord, she could feel him shaking against her.

"I thought the exact same thing when Bakura told me you were dead. I wanted to give up. But every time, I heard your voice in my head. I honestly don't know how I'd have done it without you." She tightened her grip on him, hoping to choke the shivers. "Thank you Joey. Thank you for being alive."

He didn't react. She just kept hugging him. She wanted to crush his pain so badly. His own personal darkness. Why could she go toe-to-toe with the incarnation of evil itself and not do this much for him? She clenched her teeth in frustration. Then, she felt his arms on her shoulders and he gently pushed her away. Had she said something wrong?

"Damn it, Yugi," he muttered, gripping her shoulders. "I just told ya... I ain't that strong."

A flash went by and next thing she knew, he held her face between his large warm hands and he closed the gap between their lips. The shock paralyzed her for a moment. The way he kissed her was nothing like the time at the mansion. She didn't have time to breath and her lips burned, spreading warmth to the rest of her at an alarming speed. It was addicting and nearly impossible to resist. Despite the lack of air, she wanted to drown in this warmth. Wasn't that what she'd wanted so much lately? Joey's warmth was so addicting, so comforting... He smelled so good too. Like freshly made pancakes. And the sun. Was it possible to smell like the sun?

'Longer... Please, just a little longer,' she pleaded to no one in particular.

When her head started spinning, the thought of passing out and seeing the darkness again frightened her. But he kept kissing and crushing her against him like he was going to absorb her. As hard as it was, she tried pushing him off. Finally, he pulled back and she gasped for more air to cool down her frying head. She just knew her face was putting cherries to shame with her redness. But the boy suddenly let go of her and scooted away.

"Ah, shit," he cursed, covering his face one hand. "I didn't mean to... I'm sorry, Yug. I'm so sorry."

"W-Why?" she asked, confused and still panting.

"Are ya serious? I nearly choked ya there. And minor detail; I didn't exactly asked for yar permission. Ya know that's sexual harassment, right?" he shouted, before turning away. "Sorry, I shouldn't be yellin' at ya. I lost it there for a second. Damn it..."

He rubbed his face like he was trying to wash off a mistake, like he'd done something horrible to her. That wasn't right. Carefully, she scooted over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Joey, it's alright, really." She took a breath. Getting the following out of her mouth was going to need effort. "I-It's n-not like I didn't want..."

"Ya're drivin' me nuts, I can't think straight," he muttered, but she heard him clearly.

He thought he couldn't think straight? Had he not noticed how she almost melted in his arms a second ago? And gosh, those words were not helping her cool down!

"Please, just for now, don't touch me," he asked, still covering his eyes. "I'm not ready. Not yet. I need time."

She took her hand back. "Joey..."

The sound of the back room door opening interrupted her. The noise stirred the three others out of their sleep. Kaiba stepped out and glanced at her briefly as he passed by to go to the cockpit. Simultaneously, he announced.

"We'll be landing in thirty minutes. Sit properly and put on your belts."

As if that was the cue he'd been waiting for, Joey got up and went to sit in an empty corner. She stared at him from afar. It frustrated her that she didn't understand what was going on. But he'd asked for a little time She owed him that much. The plane started it's decent. She looked out the window and seeing the sun just rising on Domino gave her a boost of nostalgia. She hadn't realized just how home sick she'd felt. It was good to be home. The jet landed smoothly in the Kaiba Corps private fields and judging at how fast everyone got up to grab their bags, she wasn't the only one happy to be home.

"Alright dweeb squad, we're here," said Kaiba, opening the outer door. "Get off my jet," he added just before stepping out.

"Well he's as tactful as ever, man," said Tristan stepping out first, followed by the girls.

Yugi stayed in place for a moment, hesitantly looking at Joey. She was about to go to him when Kisa suddenly jumped back inside the plane.

"Yugi! You have to see this! Come on!"

The urgency in her friend's voice made her glance briefly at Joey, before running out the plane. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw the reason why. Down on the ground, waiting for them, were Hobson, Mokuba hugging his brother, and in a wheelchair with them, Solomon Muto, smiling at her. Tears the size of lightbulbs escaped her eyes and she rushed down the metal stairs as fast as she could to go hug the old man.

"Grandpa!"

Tears streamed down the old man's face as well and he hugged her back. "My sweet Yugi. Welcome home."

She sobbed and her voice cracked. "I thought... I thought I was never gonna see you again..."

"This old man still has plenty of years left to make sure you do your homework and brush your teeth." He gently rubbed her back. "Besides, I'm told you and I have a lot to talk about."

"Yeah. Yeah, we do."

Through the tears blurring her vision, she managed to find Kaiba's eyes. And she mouthed a 'thank you.' The young CEO acted as if he'd seen nothing and turned to his head butler.

"We have a few stops to make along the way before I head back to the Central."

"Are you sure you'll be alright working today?" asked the old butler. "You don't seem to have slept much, master Seto."

"Don't discuss my orders, Hobson."

"Yes, Sir."

The billionaire turned to the rest of them. "Alright, anyone who doesn't want to be left behind and wants to have a good excuse to tell their folks, get in the car."

"Uh, guys..." said Kisa. "Where is Joey?"

Indeed, the blond boy was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Yugi and her grandpa were the first to be dropped off at the completely restored Game Shop (another curtesy of Kaiba). The short girl wondered what the hell kind of excuse everyone was going to come up with to explain to their parents where they were for the past few days. Wow. It had actually only been a few days. It felt like years to her. In the end, she had decided not to lie to her grandfather. If anyone could believe this crazy story, it was Solomon.

"So," said Solomon looking down once she was done speaking. "If I understand you correctly, I put you in danger by giving you the Puzzle."

Out of all the horrible things that she'd told him about, that was the one he'd focused on. The worst part was, she couldn't even disagree with him. The two Mutos cried some more in each others arms, before they finally decided to talk about something else. The rest of the day went by with the two of them resting and working around the renewed Game Shop. Evening came, and both of them went to bed. But Yugi found it hard to sleep. Tossing and turning, she couldn't stop thinking about Joey. Presumably, he'd gone home to his father. That was more terrifying than anything else. Suddenly, her phone rang, making her jump. She'd lost the habit of having tech around.

"Hello?" she answered without checking the caller ID.

" _Hey, Yug."_

"Joey?!" she almost screamed. "Where are you? Are you okay?"

" _Don't shout. What d'I tell ya bout worryin' about me?"_

"Don't give me that! You took off without telling anyone, I was worried. Where did you go?"

" _I'm fine, Yug. Really."_ His speech was slow and even less articulate than usual. Like he'd just woken up, or was on the verge of falling asleep. _"How'd it go with yar grandpa?"_

"You didn't answer my question."

" _I told ya... Ya don't have to... worry. Just leave it."_

"Not until you tell me where you are," she insisted. "You went home, didn't you?"

There was a long silence. Too long. He might as well have screamed 'yes' in her ears. No doubt about it, he'd seen his dad.

"Tell me you're okay. For real, Joey."

" _Honest, I'm fine. Everythin's fine. Much better now that I hear yar voice."_

Wait a second. He couldn't be... "Joey, are you drunk?"

Again, it took him too long to answer. _"Yep. Pretty wasted..."_

And there she thought she'd seen everything. That was unexpected. And really worrisome in fact. She didn't know what to say and he seemed to pick up on that.

" _Pathetic, huh?"_ He laughed but there wasn't a drop of amusement in it. _"Guess the apple never really falls far from the tree..."_

"Don't say that. Don't ever say that."

He wasn't like his father. He never would be. She refused to believe that. But first things first, she had to be sure he was safe.

"Where are you right now?"

" _Valentina's."_ Finally, she sighed in relief. At least he was somewhere safe. _"I wanted to call ya sooner but... didn't have the guts. I was tryin' to get motivated. Haha. Pretty stupid, huh?"_

"Is someone with you?"

Ignoring her question, he went on. _"I wanted to say sorry. Bout the jet thing."_

Why was she trying to have a normal conversation with him? He was drunk, for crying out loud. She sighed and tried to get his attention.

"I don't get why you're apologizing to me," she said.

" _I couldn't say them, Yug. I'm a coward, I couldn't say them to you. For all the times I called ya a wuss, makes me a fuckin' hypocrite. Hell, took me seven shots just to build up the guts to call ya."_

Seven shots of what?! This rambling was going to lead both of them nowhere. And frankly, it was putting her on edge. For all she knew, he'd lied to her and was laying down on a sidewalk somewhere in Hoshu.

"Do you know where you're going to sleep tonight?" she asked. "Come on, work with me here. You're freaking me out..."

" _Yugi."_ He paused. _"I love ya. Ya have no idea... how much I love ya."_

Her mouth opened but no words came out. Her thoughts seemed to have stopped working too.

" _I wanted to tell ya. I wanted to tell ya so bad, then and there. But I was afraid ya'd freak out. Ha. Scratch that. I was afraid I'd freak out."_

She tried speaking but nothing came out. She didn't know what to say. All she knew was that it was getting seriously hot in her room.

" _I wanted to kiss ya again. But if I had, I might've killed ya. Ya were like a burning magnet. I wanted to touch ya. I wanted to get burned."_

"Please stop," she pleaded, her voice almost squeaking.

" _Ya smell amazin' ya know? Like sea wind."_

"Please just stop talking," she begged again.

" _And yar taste... I can't tell what ya taste like, but it was so good. Ya were... Yugi-flavored. I really wanted more of that... Ya have no idea. I'm scarin' myself... at how much I want ya."_

"Joey, please!" she shouted. "Shut up!"

Finally, he was quiet and she breathed heavily, hoping her head would stop spinning. This was more than embarrassment she felt. It was utter shame. She hadn't done anything. So why did it feel like she'd been caught doing something wrong? And no matter how many minutes passed, she couldn't shake it off. And why was it so damn hot in here? Getting off her bed, she went to open her window and turn off the light. The light was bad. It showed too much. Why wasn't he here so she could slap him for saying all of that? For a long time, they both stayed quiet.

" _Yugi. What are ya doin' right now? Are ya busy? I want to see ya. I really really want to see ya."_

"Then tell me where you are, you idiot," she said, feeling like she was about to cry. But at this point she was ready to steal her grandpa's car and go to Hoshu in her pajamas just to punch him in the face for making her feel all weird and gooey through a phone conversation.

" _I want to. But I can't. Not now."_

"Why not?!" Was he trying to make her cry and piss her off? Because it was working. "You say all of that stuff to my face like it's nothing and then you tell me to get lost? What are you playing at?"

" _Didn't I tell you to lie down? Who are you talking to? Give me that,"_ said a new feminine voice on the other side. _"Hello, sorry if he bothered you..."_

"Mai?"

" _Yugi?"_ The owner of Valentina's seemed as surprised as she was. _"Is that you?"_

She couldn't help but sigh in relief. Thank God he'd told the truth. But it surprised her that Mai would let him drink in her bar. Hoshu or not, she'd made it pretty clear that they did things by the book at the bar. And Joey was still a minor. She didn't want to sound rude.

"Why is he drunk?"

" _That's my fault,"_ confessed the older woman. _"We had to stitch him up again. I don't exactly have anesthetics lying around so I had to make due with what I had. I just gave him two shots to make him drowsy. I didn't think that dumbass would down the rest of the bottle after."_

"How bad?"

" _Nothing life threatening but pretty bad. Bruises, a black eye, one cut on the cheek, dislocated wrist and potentially cracked rib... I've seen worse but this was rough."_

"It was his dad, wasn't it?"

" _Yeah. But something's not right. Ever since he quit the Scarlet Wolves, I haven't seen him even sit near a bottle. He was saying weird stuff too about Egypt and spirits and resurrected dead people... What have you guys been doing this past week? Binge watching Indiana Jones movies?"_

"N-No idea."

Mai sighed, and Yugi could imagine her rolling her eyes. She probably knew she was lying but didn't insist. _"Sorry, I have to go. I have my hands full tonight. Don't worry about his ass. I'm not letting him go anywhere until he's sobered up and slept at least seven hours. Bye,Yugi."_

She hung up before Yugi had the chance to answer. She remained frozen for a moment, before letting her arms hang and dropping her phone. After a few seconds, she slid down the wall until she was on the ground. A weird sensation was slowly growing in her chest, and she couldn't tell what it was. All she knew, was that it was overwhelming.

"Oh my God..." Bringing her hands up she covered her face. "Oh my God... Oh my God..."

He'd told her he loved her. And she had nothing to say back. He didn't ask. Like he already knew the answer.

"Idiot."

* * *

The following day, her grandfather was back on his feet and decided to reopen the Game Shop the next Monday. She was against it until she saw how active and happy the old man was to move around properly and work again. It resulted in her being mostly bored the rest of the weekend. And that wasn't good because it made her miss and worry about Joey even more. Out of both Mutos, she was definitely the one in bad shape. She'd tried calling the number Joey called her with, but he wouldn't answer. When she asked Mai, she said she didn't know. Maybe that wasn't even his phone. Multiple times, she fought the urge to go to Hoshu to find him. She didn't sleep much either. As predicted, she had dreams about Zorc and night terrors were frequent.

When Monday came, she decided to go back to school. An email to the principle about Solomon's hospitalization was enough of an excuse to have been absent an entire week. She was too early. She walked slowly, staring at her feet. She wished she'd taken a game with her. She found herself missing the Millennium Puzzle. She did have her Rubik's cube but she could solve it in her sleep using only her feet.

"Yugi?"

The familiar voice made her look up. Kisa was in front of the gate, also in her school uniform. Looked like they had the same idea. The bags under her eyes spoke for themselves.

"Let me guess; night terrors?" she asked.

She nodded. Come to think of it, she hadn't talked to any of her friends since they got back. And she got the distinct impression that it had been the case for all of them. With the exception of Tea and Tristan maybe.

"You guys are here too?"

Speak of the devil. The two brunets walked towards them, saying they ran into each other on their way here. Reflexively, Yugi looked behind her and in every possible direction leading to the school gate. For a moment there, she really got her hopes up. But no one else showed up. Frustrated, she bit her lip. They all stayed there, silently staring at each other awkwardly. What was there to talk about?

"Well, ain't that a surprise?" The guardian of the gate stepped out of his box. "In my twenty years working here, I don't think I've ever seen a student arrive this early, let alone four. It's not even seven yet. Are you guys late on a project or something?"

"Yeah, something like that," said Kisa smiling politely.

"Well, I'm not suppose to open the gate before seven thirty, but I'm not gonna leave you guys out here. Come on in."

They thanked him. Yugi offered that they go to the roof and the others silently agreed. They sat in a circle, passing around Yugi's Rubik's cube, solving or trying to solve it. No one really checked for how long.

"So," said Tea, finally tired of the silent. "How'd it go with grandpa Muto?"

"Great actually," replied Yugi, solving her cube for the third time. "He took it pretty well considering I told him the truth. Speaking of, how did you guys get off the hook?"

"Kaiba told our folks that he hired us to try out some new game tech at Kaiba Corps for a few days," said Tristan. "Get this; he sent them the email while we were flying to Cairo. This guy's anticipation is scary as hell. I just got chewed out for not telling them about it."

"Same," said Kisa and Tea in unison.

So everyone else had been reduced to runaway teenagers for having travelled the world to save her butt? She supposed it could've been much worse.

"Tristan," she asked, deciding to ask. "Have you heard from Joey in the past two days?"

"No. But it's not unusual for him to stay out of sight from time to time."

Tea frowned. "Right now doesn't exactly qualify as casual, though. If anything he should be keeping in touch more. What's he up to? I thought he'd stick to Yugi like glue after all of that."

The face she made must've been what betrayed her because Kisa seemed to see right through her. "You heard from him."

It wasn't a question. She nodded. "He called me the night we got back. He... was drunk."

The looks they gave her would've anyone believed they were watching a horror movie. Tristan was the first to react.

"No way. There's no way he would."

Annoyed, she rolled her eyes at him. "You think I can't tell when someone's drunk? He didn't even try to hide it when I asked."

Despite her sudden and unusual aggressiveness, the pointy-haired boy seemed to have trouble processing. "Well, what did you talk about?"

Suddenly, she regretted saying anything. The shame from that evening resurfaced and she looked away, hoping to hide the red of her face in vain. Talking to her best friends was one thing but to Tristan... Thankfully, Kisa came to her rescue.

"Tristan, you should go."

"What? Why? What did I do?"

"Relax. You didn't do anything," said Tea gently elbowing him. "But we need to have a girl talk."

That made him give up immediately. He grabbed his bag and told them he'd see them after class. The second he was back inside, Kisa raised an eyebrow at Tea.

"You two are awfully chummy."

"Oh no! No way we're changing the subject." The brunet turned to Yugi, her eyes throwing daggers. "Talk. Now."

Trying to hide it was pointless, but there was no way she was willing to spill all the details. It was already a miracle she wasn't a pile of molten goo already. So she skipped straight to the point.

"He said he loved me."

They stared for a moment with unreadable looks on their faces until Kisa said. "Took him twenty four hours and a bottle for him to finally say it? Honestly, I'm surprised it took him that long. I figured he'd have confessed to you the second we found you. Evil spirits or not."

"This guy is hopeless," added Tea. "And I'm guessing from your face, that's not all that went down. What else did he say?"

"He said he couldn't see me. He said it over and over but he never said why." Hearing herself say it annoyed her. "I don't get it. What does that even mean?"

"Other than the dumbest excuse I ever heard to hide from you, I don't see what..."

"Tea, stop," said Kisa. "You're not helping."

"No! I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. It's honestly what it sounds like." Yugi flinched at the words. "Look, I'm grateful he saved her, I really am. It's way more than I did. I'm more than willing to give him a chance. But Yugi's been hurt enough. She's got more important things to deal with than worrying about his ass all the time. He should be here for her."

For once, Tea's harsh and impulsive words were well received.

"If we know anything about Joey," said Kisa, "it's that he's clumsy. He's clumsy with his words, he talks before he thinks, he's brutally honest with people too. From what you told us, I think he's scared. Of what exactly, I don't know."

That explanation made her frustration go down. But as enlightening as this conversation was, it didn't make the short girl feel any better. The issue hadn't changed. "I want to see him."

"No. Absolutely not," shot down Kisa. "You're not going to Hoshu. "

She opened her mouth to argue but the class rep's phone suddenly rang in her pocket.

"It's Kaiba," she said, handing the phone to Yugi. "He wants to talk to you."

This was way too good timing. She wondered if he'd bugged her bag or something. She really wouldn't put it passed him.

"H-Hey Kaiba."

" _How are you feeling?"_

"Tired. I don't sleep much." No way she was telling him about Joey. "I'm at school."

" _Come to Kaiba Corps after. I need to talk to you."_

* * *

 **O.O Is it ever a good thing when Kaiba calls out Yugi like this? As you've probably guessed, this chapter was meant to make you cry in frustration. ;)**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	38. Ancient love

**Baby steps, baby steps but I will get there! Eventually!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Yugi wasn't feeling well. It wasn't her stomach or her head, or even the lack of sleep that kept her awake. She couldn't exactly pinpoint what was bothering and where that odd feeling in her insides came from. But she assumed it probably had to do with Joey. She tried ignoring it as she stepped out of the elevator on the one hundred and fortieth floor of the Kaiba Corps central. She was surprised to find the Kaiba's faithful butler there.

"Welcome, miss Yugi," he greeted with a sweet smile. "It's good to see you."

"Hello Hobson," she replied politely. "You too. What are you doing here?"

"Master Seto has asked me to come pick up Master Mokuba. They spent the day together at Kaibaland and I think Master Seto needs to get some work done without his little brother around."

She smiled thinking of the ball of energy that was Mokuba Kaiba. She'd barely had time to talk to him when they got back. Surely, he was overjoyed to have his big brother back. All they had was each other after all.

"Do you know why he wants to talk to me?" she asked.

"He hasn't said anything to me. I'm afraid you'll have to see for yourself."

She sighed. This was very Kaiba-like. Good. At least something felt normal today. Finally, after crossing God knows how many hallways, they reached the door to Kaiba's office. Hobson knocked and announced them. The door opened and Mokuba appeared.

"Yugi!" he shouted, throwing himself in her arms. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"W-What?" she replied, before remembering she'd been with him when Pegasus's goons had grabbed her. "It wasn't your fault, Moki. And I'm okay, I promise. Your big brother saved me, right?"

His face suddenly lit up. "Does that mean you'll still play with me?"

"Whenever you want. Pinky swear."

"Master Mokuba," said Hobson, saving her from the boy's grip. "It's time for us to go. Your brother has a lot of work to do. At what time do you want me to come pick you up, Master Seto?"

The young billionaire was typing something up on his computer and replied without even looking up. "I'll call you."

"That means you're gonna work all night," pouted Mokuba. "You promised we'd take a vacation too!"

"A planned vacation, Mokuba. That means I have to organize everything before we go. And today was pretty much a vacation too."

"Pff. Being a grown up sucks like hell."

"Language. And will you two just go, already?"

With that, Hobson and Mokuba said bye to her before stepping out and closing the door behind them. For a moment, Kaiba just kept typing, eyes laser focused on his screen. She just stood there watching him and waited until he was done. Taking the opportunity, she looked at him. He looked as Kaiba as ever, but he had the same bags under his eyes as hers. Actually, his might have been bigger. Probably because he'd sacrificed his sleep to catch up on the work he'd missed while in Egypt. Finally, he finished and stood up to go sit on one of the couches.

"Have seat," he told her.

She did what he asked and sat facing him. In between them was the chess board but the pawns were placed like the game had already started. The positioning looked familiar and then she remembered. That was the game they'd never finished. He moved a pawn.

"Your turn."

She moved her rook. "So why did you want to see me?"

He moved his knight. "Do you have nightmares?"

"Yeah. You too?"

"Haven't slept enough to find out."

They were quiet for a bit and just played. It wasn't unusual. When they both entered the focus phase of the game, they could stay hours without speaking. But her focus wasn't completely on the game. That feeling in her stomach seemed to be more and more noticeable. What was up with her?

"How is your grandfather?"

The question surprised her, but she took his bishop and replied, "Great. Too good actually. He opened the game shop again this morning. He's in better shape than I am, it's scary."

"I see," he said, rubbing his tired eyes briefly. "That's good."

"Kaiba, you look awful. You should probably get some real sleep. I know you'll probably get nightmares but..."

"I'll do that later."

She shook her head and didn't find it necessary to tell him how stubborn he was being. She moved her queen. Again, they played in silence, and again her head was only halfway in the game. She finally managed to identify what the strange sensation was. Joey would call it her gut-feeling. Something was going on. Moving her queen again, she put his king in check.

"Kaiba, you didn't call me here just to play. What's going on?"

He moved his king away from danger. "Have you seen the mutt since we got back?"

That was blunt. Since when was he interested in Joey? The very idea of him repulsed him. Where was he going with this? So much for thinking about something other than the blond boy. She took one of his pawns.

"No."

It wasn't a lie, she hadn't seen him technically speaking. Besides, Kaiba was the last person she'd want to talk to about that phone call. Kaiba moved his knight and took her rook.

"Funny. I guess my monitors picked up the wrong call then."

Every muscle in her body tensed and she froze staring at him in disbelief. "You're still monitoring my phone? Kaiba, come on! I thought we were done with this. How did you even get my new number? I never gave it to you."

"I didn't, but thanks for confirming that for me," he said his eyes narrowing on her. "I thought by now you'd learn. You should know better than to hide things from me."

He'd tricked her. Darn it! Why could she see through any of his moves when playing but always get caught off guard while talking? Of course, the memory of the phone call had been triggered. She felt her face heat up like an active volcano. She wanted to die in shame. And of course, he was getting an eyeful of of her embarrassment.

"Judging from your face, I'm guessing your conversation wasn't PG."

Oh God, what was he thinking? The temperature of her face tripled and she thought for a moment that she was going to pass out. To distract them both she took one of his pawns, putting his king in check again.

"How did you know he called me?"

"He took off pretty quickly after we landed and I'm guessing it was to get away from you for some reason so I figured he'd go back to his shit-hole of a neighborhood. But I had a hunch he was going to contact you." He moved his king out of harms way again. "I also have a hunch that he's going to come back crawling sooner or later."

Wait. Why was he telling her this? It was like he was telling her what she wanted to hear. But last she checked, Kaiba did everything possible to keep Joey the hell away from her. She moved a pawn taking his rook.

"Why are you suddenly so interested in him?"

"Don't be an idiot," he said, moving another pawn. "I couldn't care less about the mutt. You're the one I have business with."

She paused again before distractingly glancing at the board and moving her knight. "You lost me. When you have business with me is when we play. Aren't we..."

"Yugi, what did he tell you?" he said interrupting.

His eyes were piercing through her like freshly sharpened blade. She was supposed to be used to reading him since he showed little emotions. But in that moment, she was incapable of it. Was it because they were talking about Joey? He moved his knight.

"Check."

She moved her king. "I-I don't understand what you mean..."

He moved his queen. "Check mate."

She froze. Check mate? She was used to saying it but hearing it was another thing entirely. When was the last time she lost at chess? When she was six playing against her grandfather maybe. Suddenly, her entire concentration was on the game. She looked at the moves they'd both made. He'd lured her in with a bait strategy. And she'd fallen for it like an amateur. He'd beaten her. He'd finally beaten her. But his face showed anything but satisfaction. His eyes burned with silent anger.

"Twelve moves. That's all it took for me to beat you. Our games never had less than thirty six."

"I...I'm sorry," she said, unable to think of anything else to say.

She'd lost because she'd been too distracted. In a way it hadn't been a fair game. She hadn't put her heart into it and that was the whole reason Kaiba played her. Because she was good and always put her all in her games, no matter which it was. This loss felt like she'd just insulted him and spat in his face for no reason.

"Your head is full of him."

His words were like acid to her ears, filled with contempt and anger. Worst part was that he wasn't wrong. She looked down. Wait... No. Why was she backing down waiting for him to speak his mind? He'd been unusually indirect. Something was off. He was the one who'd called her here. Taking a deep breath she looked up at him again.

"Kaiba, what do you want from me?"

He closed his eyes briefly.

"I'll be blunt."

Oh boy.

"He lives in the most disease-ridden, drug infested part of Domino. He comes from a broken background and a lifestyle that he's likely to copy as he gets older. His father's an alcoholic gambler that'll die of liver cancer soon enough. He doesn't have a dime to his name. He'll never attend uni and it'll be a miracle if he even graduates high school. I doubt he'll ever have a stable job. He's a hot head who picks fights with armed thugs and has to get stitched up every week. I'm surprised he can even walk straight. He's got the perfect profile of a loser."

She knew the young CEO thought that way about Joey. He hated him that was clear enough. There was only one reason Kaiba felt the need to lay all of that out to her. He was showing her how bad he was so that she'd leave him behind. That irritated her.

"Get to the point, Kaiba."

"Choose me."

A jolt of electricity shot through her. She stared at him in absolute disbelief, her jaw dropping. She'd expected anything. Just not this.

"What?"

"Do I need to spell it out for you?" he almost snapped, irritated. "I love you and I want you to choose me."

"W-Wait slow down, Kaiba. A few weeks ago you told me we weren't even friends..."

"I was pissed at you and the mutt. I said what was necessary to keep myself on top of the situation. But it was the truth. I've never considered myself your friend."

He stood up and walked over to the window, his back turned to her and gazing out. "First you were someone I had to beat, no matter what it took. You frustrated me. You were the biggest obstacle I ever tripped on. I wanted to crush you and make you realize I was better."

Old memories flashed in her mind. The first few times they'd played together, how irritated he was. He scared her but she had no one else, so she kept accepting his challenges. And he was one of the rare people who could keep up with her. But the more they played, the more she got used to him. She'd ended up really liking his company. Even when she met Tea and Kisa, she'd never given up her game time with him.

"Somewhere along the lines, playing became the excuse I needed to see you. Why do you think I invited you to play at my house instead of just staying at school? Why I let Mokuba get close to you? That was me courting you."

"..." She tried to speak but it got stuck in her throat.

"He's worthless. I can keep you safe from anything."

"Kaiba...I..."

"I can give you anything you want."

Her own words were choking her and she couldn't get them out. What were they anyways? Was she surprised? No. Not really. She was horrified. Horrified that she somehow discarded so easily something that she already knew. Seto Kaiba, the ice king who crushed any obstacle in his way had stuck with her for over a year now, playing games after games, spending God knows how many hours a week with her. It'd been so obvious and so not at the same time. Thinking about it made her feel like her head was going to burst.

"I'm not asking you how you feel," he said, before finally turning around and looking at her in the eyes again. "I'm asking you to choose me."

But how she felt and her answer went hand in hand. It took everything she had to look at him the eyes. As her answer left her mouth, tears watered her eyes but she forbid them from falling.

"I can't... I can't because I love Joey."

As usual, nothing showed on his face. But she didn't even see a hint of surprise in his eyes. There was something else. Something that made the piercing blue of his irises turn to cloudy grey. When she saw it, her heart suddenly became heavy in her chest.

"I figured as much."

He'd predicted her answer and he still went through with this? The prideful Seto Kaiba had wandered into situation in which he knew he was going to lose? She bit her lip.

"I'm sor..."

"Don't you dare," he cut her off before turning back to look out the window. "You have no reason to apologize."

"What... should I say then?"

"Nothing. Just go."

Right. It did feel like the best thing to do to diffuse this miserable atmosphere that was emitting from both of them. But every step she took towards the door made her even more scared than she was. She stopped after grabbing the handle.

"Kaiba," she said without turning around in case he was looking her way. "Does this mean... I lose my friend too?"

She heard him take a deep breath.

"Go. Please."

It was the same monotone voice as usual, but the words were heavy. She didn't want to leave him alone. Not after this conversation. But she was the last person he needed to be with. Turning the handle, she stepped out. When she finally reached the elevator and the doors shut behind her, she stared into nothingness. The heavy atmosphere hadn't left her. On the contrary, it was like it had concentrated and made her chest even heavier than before. He felt it too, she knew it. They were both hurt and it was no one's fault. All she knew is that she didn't want to be alone right now, so neither should he. She grabbed her phone.

" _What's up, Yugi?"_

She tried to stabilize her voice but to no avail. " Hey Kisa..."

" _What's wrong?"_ Of course the class rep was already on high alert. _"Are you okay? What happened?"_

"I'm fine. Really, I promise." Could she sound anymore unconvincing? She quickly wiped the two tears that finally escaped her eyes. "Actually, I need a favor."

* * *

Night had fallen some time ago on Domino but he hadn't moved in a few hours. Not a single source of light was on, not even his computer screen. But there he was, standing in front of the giant window, staring down at the city that he practically owned. In that moment, nothing was more worthless than his wealth. He wanted a challenge. He craved excitement. There had something to be done about this damn void in his chest! Someone then knocked on the door and without waiting for an answer, someone entered. He didn't need to turn around; the footsteps were familiar.

"It's a nice view," she commented to start the conversation.

He didn't bother turning around. "What are you doing here, Kisa?"

He heard paper shuffling. She was looking through her bag. "This is all the work we missed while we were gone. Including today's. Just in case you feel like coming back to class."

Was there no end to how much of a goodie two shoes this girl could be? He didn't know the time but he was pretty sure it was past ten o'clock. He heard her put the folder on his desk.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

He sighed. What was she doing here? The last thing he wanted right now was company. There was a reason he hadn't gone home even though he was done with his work.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"How long are you going to pretend that you're not human? You just got rejected by the girl you love. If you were honest about that, then there's no way you're doing good right now. How long have you been staring out that window? If you finished working, you should be home but you're not."

He fought the urge to face palm. Yugi had sent her. Why would she show up this late?

"Since when have you become my shrink?"

"With what went down between you, I'm guessing you two are not going to see each other for a while at least."

He scoffed at her as he turned around, his eyes throwing daggers at her. "And what? You thought you could just barge in here and take advantage of the situation? Hate to break it to you, but I'm not stupid or easy."

It was meant to hurt. He knew how she felt about him. There was no doubt about it. Meeting her ancient Egyptian previous life had told him enough. Even if he still blamed her link with Kisara for that. But right now, he just wanted her to be alone. Was that too damn much to ask?

"I didn't come here to seduce you into liking me," she said frowning but as calm as ever. "Who the hell do you think I am, Kaiba? This isn't about me."

"And yet you're still here, rubbing this in my face."

"Shut your pride up for a second and let me talk, will you?" she snapped this time. "Look, I know that this doesn't sound the best coming from me. Especially since I know you know how I feel about you. But I'm also the only person who can tell you this. So please listen."

It annoyed him but she was one of the rare people who never looked away from him. He held back a sighed and went to sit at his desk and faced the window again. What could she possibly say that could do something for him? Looking at the sky, he waited for her to talk.

"I've always been grateful to Yugi for having gotten into your heart somehow. She was your new perspective on yourself and everything else. I was happy because she kept you in touch with your human-self, even if you didn't notice it. You were happier when she was there."

His hands clenched into fists. God, there was nothing he hated more than having his emotions be read out to him. Especially, when they were on point. Every time she came here to drop things off, she always had that knack for reading his mood. Now of all times was not the time.

"Losing was alright when you were with her, wasn't it? That's how happy you were. I didn't want you to get split up. When Joey came along, I knew it was only a matter of time."

He knew that damn it! He knew the mutt was going to ruin everything the moment Yugi started defending him. How many times had his mind wandered back in time, wishing he'd just gotten the bastard kicked out for good? And Yugi... he'd always known she was making him weak. And he'd done nothing to stop her.

"I don't want you to throw away that part of you, Kaiba. Nothing matters more to me than this. Everything else is secondary. You've suffered enough, you've been alone enough. I won't let you go back to your darkness. Ever."

Kisa was finally quiet. But then the young CEO sighed loudly and turned back, but he didn't look her in the eyes. Instead, he leaned his elbows on his desk and rested his head on his joined hands. Why did she care? He'd never done anything to warrant her good will. The bond with Kisara was probably to blame. Again.

"Never thought I'd find a bigger pain in my ass than Wheeler."

"Thanks for that image."

She walked over to the desk and took something else out of her bag that she placed on his desk. He looked up to look at it. It was a wooden puzzle. A really complicated one, second only probably to the Millennium Puzzle.

"Yugi solved it in ten hours," explained the class rep. "It took me six days. I'm not much of a challenge right now, but I learn fast."

Was she offering him a challenge? A chance to fill the void? No one had done that once they saw how good he was at everything. The only one was Yugi. Then again, he challenged her. Why was she offering that? She'd get nothing from it and she knew it.

"What do you want, Kisa?"

He'd spoken with his business voice this time and was looking straight at her. She walked over to the tea table to grab the small chess board and bring it to the desk.

"Until someone else manages to make her way to your stone heart, you're going to need someone to keep you human. I'm asking you if I can be that person. You can say no, but I'll find a way to keep an eye on you."

"Tch. Stalker."

"Hello pot, I'm kettle." She smiled briefly before regaining her serious face. "Please Kaiba. Let me be someone you can trust. Even if it's just for a little while. In any case, I'm not leaving you alone."

She was serious. He'd be lying if he thought this was going to work in filling the void. But he also seemed to have lost the will to turn her away. What the hell? He really wasn't himself today. He decided to give up on keeping up the facade. If there was one time he should be allowed to sit back, it was now.

"You do know you're getting nothing from this?" he asked.

"I know. But I'd be lying if I said I won't enjoy it."

"You're exhausting, you know that? You sound like the specter," he finally let out, moving a pawn. "Do whatever you want. Just so you know, you're never going to beat me. This game will be over in eight moves."

She smirked at him. "Let your guard down and I'll kick your ass."

They played. She sucked at it, not even close to Yugi's level. But the distraction made him forget the void for a little while.

* * *

 **Our favorite jackass billionaire has officially been dumped! Even I feel bad for him. ;-;**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	39. A bit of redemption

**Hi guys. I'm so sorry for the long absence. I had tons of work to finish for uni and I wasn't feeling too good these past few weeks. This was originally only half of the chapter but I feel like you've waited long enough. Again sorry for the tardiness.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

It was super late and she'd had a hard time convincing her grandfather to let her stay out a little longer. Solomon had accepted on the condition that she texted him every fifteen minutes to tell him she was okay and threatened to call the police if she was even a minute late. She'd been sitting on a bench on a sidewalk in front of the Kaiba Corps central ever since she'd left it. Taping her toes on the ground and biting her nails. She sighed loudly. Everything was supposed to have been over when they got back.

'Instead everything's gotten even more complicated.'

She looked up to the highest floor of the tower. Had it been the right move to send Kisa to him? She didn't want him to be alone. Kisa was the only one she knew who had a chance of getting through to him. But was it fair to her? She loved him. Had it been painful to be friends with her all of this time? Yugi tried to remember the first time she met Kisa. It wasn't long after meeting Kaiba actually. But ever since she'd known her, she'd been so caring towards him, even when he was being an absolute jerk. Then, after learning of her link to Kisara, it'd all become so clear. Kisa would never allow anything to get in the way of Kaiba's happiness. Not even her own feelings. She could be trusted and she was going to suffer for it. Was it right?

'What else was I suppose to do?'

"Yugi?"

The voice made her jump and she saw her friend exiting the central. Reflexively, she got up. "How was he?"

The class rep smiled. "He's gonna be fine. He's Kaiba. And I'm pretty sure he's going to beg you to come back to play with him because of how much I suck."

"You played him?"

"Six times. He moped the floor with me. I did last nineteen moves in the last game though. It might take a while but I know you two are going to play again."

She was relieved to hear that of course but the worry didn't leave her just yet. "I'm sorry I asked you to do that."

"Are you kidding? You've given me the opportunity to spend a lot more time with him. That's a gift considering I never expected anything. Thank you."

Yugi didn't know how to reply to that. Kisa was far too kind for her own good. And maybe that was what made her so good for the young billionaire. She wondered; could it be possible for those two? If the past weeks had taught her anything, it was that anything was possible. If anything, she was glad Kisa was there for him and that she was happy about it. Her friend elbowed her.

"I know what you're thinking. Stop that. You did nothing wrong and I'm glad you called me. Don't worry about him. He's Kaiba. He'll be fine even if this is a blow to his ego. I'll make sure of that."

"Thank you. Really."

They began walking as Kisa's house was in the direction of Yugi's bus stop. They were silent for a while before the class rep decided to change the conversation.

"Any news from Joey?"

The weight that had just been lifted of the short girl's shoulder was suddenly replaced by a new one. "No. I tried calling Mai again but she said she hasn't seen him since Friday."

"He's gonna show up. Don't worry."

She wished she could believe that. She was about to reply when a painful compression appeared in her head.

"You okay?"

"Headaches," she replied. "I can't sleep."

* * *

Something was ringing. Annoyingly so. Come on, she'd finally managed to fall into deep comfortable sleep. But the ringing persisted, forcibly pulling out of her paradise state. Cursing every bad word she knew in her head, she buried her head under her pillow, hoping to muffle the sound. But even through her thick cotton shield, it reached her. Sighing and keeping herself from cursing out loud for leaving her alarm on. Today was Friday but her grandfather had told her to stay in to try and catch up on the sleep she'd lost in the past few days. She slept better during the day. The nights were scary. But when she grabbed her phone, she realized that the sound was her ringtone. She really was deeply asleep. The number of missed calls was alarming. Quickly sitting up, she was about to call back but it rang again.

"Tea, what is it? Is something wrong? Are you okay?"

" _Finally! I'm talking, do not interrupt!"_ exclaimed the brunette. _"Tristan got a call from Joey yesterday and that idiot just called me an hour ago. Joey told him he was going to the Game Shop this morning!"_

"What? When?!"

" _An hour ago, game-brain! Why do you think I've been calling you non-stop?"_

As fast as her mind processed every word her friend say, it wasn't enough to stop the shock of the realization. An hour ago? Which means in theory... he could be here any second. Dropping her phone she kicked the cover off of her and sprang out of bed. But as she left her room, she heard Solomon's voice.

"I have to say I wasn't expecting you. I'm surprised."

"Sorry about that," replied Joey's voice. "I guess I should've called ahead."

'Oh no.'

She wanted to dash down the hall and stairs. Despite everything she'd told her grandfather, last Solomon checked, Joey was still the guy who made her life miserable for so long. It seemed so far away for her, but wasn't to the old man. Some part of her made her walk as quietly as possible and go halfway down the stairs that led directly between the kitchen and the Game Shop. There, she could listen without being seen. Why she had to hide? She had no idea. Joey was right here and she had a million things to tell him, starting with a good slap in the face for that drunk dial.

"I suppose you came here to see Yugi."

"Actually, I came to see ya, Mr Muto. I was kinda hopin' she'd still be asleep. It bein' a school day and all..."

There was a long moment of silence, and it felt like her heartbeat could be heard miles away. Just his words had turned the situation into a 'holding a lit up match above a sea of gasoline'.

"I came to apologize. For everythin' I made her go through."

She could hear the old man moving, probably to get out from behind the counter. Every footstep, every breath made that lump in her throat expend.

"I've heard a lot of things from Kaiba. I know what kind of reputation you have. How much of it is true?"

"Probably everythin'. I scared her. I insulted her. I pushed her around. I stole her stuff. I called her a wuss. I pushed her in the canal of the old factory too."

As he enumerated that list, it all came back to her. The time where she was so scared to even lay eyes on him. When she was scared to go to school because of him. When she looked over her shoulder constantly, scared that he might follow her. It was hard to imagine that all of it had been real. But it had and to her grandfather, it wasn't so far away. It took a moment for him to reply and she held her breath until he did.

"You look like something the cat dragged in, Joseph. What happened to your face? Did you get into a fight?"

"It's just Joey. And no, Sir."

"Don't lie to me, son."

"I ain't no stranger to fightin' but I ain't lyin'," replied the blond. "I may be a jerk but I never lie."

He said no more, but it was clear enough. It told her that he'd been beaten again or at least his wounds from last week were impossible to miss. Bitterness pinched her heart and she almost sighed too loudly. She'd told Solomon everything that had happened since she got the puzzle, but she had kept to herself the part about Joey's father, feeling it wasn't her place to tell. However, her grandpa was far from stupid.

"Tell me something, Joey. How does the little punk who picked on a girl half his size for kicks, end up going halfway across the world to rescue her from demented cultists? I'm having a hard time processing that one eighty. Explain it to me."

When put like that, it really showed how strange they're relationship changed. To think it never would've without the 'demented cultists' and the Millennium Puzzle.

"The answer's pretty easy," said Joey. "It's her. When I first met her, I thought she was pathetic. When Kisa and Tea weren't lookin', everyone around had a go at her for one reason or another and she just let it happen, brushin' it off like it was nothin'. I can't stand people like that, it pissed me off. So I started really messin' with her. I wanted her to fight back but she never did. I thought she was hopeless."

Growing up in Hoshu didn't give anyone a choice. You either fought and lived or let yourself be crushed and possibly even die. Adaptation is everything. Joey's life was like a bad version or Rambo. Every day he had new scars. If she'd lived there, would she have died like Serenity?

"So was your plan to run her into a corner until she fought back?" asked Solomon calmly but with clear anger rising in his voice.

"I was gonna give up after I got suspended. It seemed pretty obvious Kaiba had her back. Gotta admit it, helps havin' moneybags in yar corner. Then she came to me. First time was to get her puzzle piece back but then she came back again. I didn't get it. She wouldn't leave me alone." There was a pause and she heard him chuckle. "The little shrimp I thought she was came to Hoshu twice to find me. I couldn't believe it. We started bumpin' into each other again and again and it was always for the same reason; she was worried bout my sorry butt."

Yugi's insides started tightening uncomfortably.

"I guess that's when I started changin'. After that, I just wanted to watch her back."

She'd changed him? It was strange to hear him say it out loud. She'd never expected to have an effect on him. After she learned what kind of person he was, she'd thought that he'd just been himself all this time. He'd definitely made her stronger. How exactly had she helped him in any way? His tone suddenly got more serious.

"I realized I never apologized properly for what I did. That's why I'm here. I'm really sorry."

A long silence followed. What was Solomon going to say? From where she was standing, it could go either way. If it went south, how was she supposed to intervene? Was she even supposed to intervene? Joey'd said he was here to talk to her grandfather but... A million anxiety-filled questions filled her head and it seemed like her heart was going to pop in her chest.

"You've brought her back from hell to me. How can I not forgive you? But something still bothers me. You didn't come here just to apologize, did you? What is it that you want exactly?"

"Nothin'. Well, that ain't exactly true, but that's why I came here for today."

"You expect me to believe that? I'm old son, not stupid."

"I didn't even expect ya to forgive me. But it felt wrong leavin' things like that."

This time her insides froze for a different reason entirely. What did he mean 'leave things like that'?

"What do you mean by 'leave things like that'?" said her grandfather as if they shared a single mind.

"I'm sayin' that things are gonna change for me and Yugi. And that apology was way overdue."

She was pretty sure the temperature her insides reached was going to give her frost bite at that point. The drunk dial from that day and the way he said he needed time away from her came back to mind. Suddenly, she was scared.

"I'm in love with her."

The tortuous sensations suddenly left her entirely and she felt numb. The shock went so far as to keep her thoughts from reacting. And yet her face heat up like crazy. He'd told her that before. He was drunk so there was chance that he didn't remember but why would he say it to her grandfather? After everything he'd just confessed, it sounded like the most illogical move possible.

"Why would you say this to me?" asked Solomon, his voice getting deeper with distrust. "Did you think I'd give you my blessing? That's both pretentious and surprising, especially coming from a kid your generation. What exactly are your intentions with her? Be very careful about what you're going to say to me."

At this point, she stopped breathing altogether. The noise of the air coming out of her nose was too loud and she wanted to hear that. She needed to hear it no matter how uncertain and apprehensive she was of what it was.

"To be honest, I'm not sure. I know I ain't the kind of guy ya'd imagine for her. I'll get kicked out of my house the day I turn eighteen, I don't got a penny to my name and I don't have much of a brain, so the chances of me attending uni are slim... Ya could say I got no future, really."

"Despite that, you still want to try your chances?"

She imagined him flashing that goofy smile. "Yep."

"You've really got some nerve."

"I know there's not much I can offer. Not now and probably not for a while. But I know two things for sure. First is, I love her. More than anything. Second, I'll do anythin' to make sure she's safe and happy. If that means I gotta go to come back better, then I'll do it."

"Strong words, boy," replied Solomon. "but still just words. Actions speak louder."

"Exactly. That's why I'm not even expectin' ya to take me seriously, who would? But I'm warnin' ya to keep yar head up. Cause I plan to surprise ya."

Go away? What? Then she heard footsteps walking away and the door of the game shop opening. Something told her to rush down the rest of the stairs and stop him. She was about to when...

"Joey," called out Solomon, finally having regained a softer tone of voice. "Yugi is the most precious thing I have. I wouldn't take kindly to a joke like this. How serious are you about this?"

The muscles in her abdomen contracted so hard that she thought she was going to puke for a moment. As if her body had anticipated Joey's next words.

"If it were entirely up to me, I'd marry her."

Solomon didn't reply and the door of the Game Shop closed. Yugi hadn't moved. If her head hadn't started spinning, she'd never have realized that she was still holding her breath. Her muscles all relaxed at once so suddenly that she slid down the wall and ended up sitting. The urge to go after him was drowned by the shock. What the absolute heck had just happened? Solomon then appeared at the bottom of the stairs, looking at her with sad eyes. He'd known all along that she was here.

"Grandpa, I don't...I'm... What do I..."

She tried to speak but nothing clear came out. In fact, she didn't even know what she wanted to say. The old man observed her for a moment before sighing.

"It looks like I don't have to tell you to stay here," he said as he climbed the stairs and sat down next to her. "I never thought the day a man asking for your hand would come so soon. Tch. He's not even a man yet."

She scoffed but instead of laughter, it was a sob that escaped her and out of nowhere tears streamed down her face. Did she have a reason to cry? She didn't know if she was happy or sad or something in between. All she felt was deep confusion. There were far too many things making her head spin. Too much information burning her brain circuitry. Being unable to think or even keep up with yourself was strange. And scary.

"Do you love this boy, Yugi?" asked her grandfather, giving her the opportunity to focus on something.

She nodded, wiping the tears off her face.

"You think he's worth it."

Again she nodded. Her heart throbbed in her chest like it had at the gathering, only ten times stronger.

"He's got guts and he's honest, I'll give him that."

A new stream of tears escaped her. "Why am I freaking out?"

"Probably because he just enumerated the reasons why a long term relationship wasn't possible. You hadn't thought about any of it, had you? No one can blame you. It's surprising that he did. But you heard him, didn't you? He's determined to make that change."

"Then why does it sound like he's saying goodbye to me?" she almost shouted. "I don't get him."

"Boys tend to hide all of there apprehensions behind a load of confidence in the most dire moments. I should know. That's how I was when I asked your grandmother's parents to let me marry her."

Kisa'd said that maybe he was scared and that's why he was staying away. But he didn't seem scared. No, he was confident as hell while she was freaking out. Oh. So that was it. That was what she felt. Frustration, pure and simple.

"You do know I'm not okay with this?"

"What?"

"Knowing there's already someone waiting to snatch you away from me," declared the old man. "He's going to have a hell of a lot of work to do to convince me to give you up!"

The sudden possessive outburst made her laugh despite the tears. Solomon smiled at her. He'd reached his goal to make her smile if only just a bit. He then scooted closer and took her in his arms.

"Everything will be fine, my Yugi. I promise. No matter what happens next, I'm here for you. Always."

She was glad to hear him say that. But she'd have given anything, to hear it from Joey who had probably disappeared God knows where.

* * *

 **I know, I know, I suck. Fear not, the long awaited face to face is near!**

 **PLEASE REVIEW**


	40. Further

**I guess I'm a lost case. I didn't even realize an entire month has gone by since my last post. I have no valid excuse other than getting caught up in my summer plans. But at least you won't have to endure my unstable posting schedule since, unfortunately this is the last chapter of the story.**

 **Thank you so much for sticking by all of this time! It's been real and every review made my day!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The following Monday came quickly. The weekend had been kind to Yugi; she'd managed to sleep ten hours total. It was better than nothing. She was at least thankful to have rested for a bit. Now, walking into the school ground, she was desperately trying to find a way to get herself out of this mess. The only way to do that was to find Joey and talk. She'd tried calling that number again, and again no one had answered. She'd tried asking Tristan but to no avail. Even Mai hadn't seen him in a while. Her only option left seemed to be going to Hoshu and go to Hank Wheeler's apartment.

'There is no way the others will let me go,' she thought as she reached her classroom's floor. 'And going alone is suicide. But what choice do I have?'

"Yugi!" called out a voice she hadn't heard in a while.

She looked up and saw Miho jogging towards her. She looked worried. "I'm glad I caught you. Look I just wanted to give you a heads up. He's back."

"Sorry, what?"

"His suspension ended today. I just wanted to warn you since Tea and Kisa aren't here yet. And I'm not sure Kaiba's going to be here either so..."

Miho never got to finish her sentence, Yugi was already dashing towards their classroom. Everyone was, as usual in small groups talking before the beginning of class. Only this time, they were all looking in the same direction and whispering to each other. What they were staring at, was their blond classmate who was actively ignoring them, feet on his desk and gazing out the window. The whispers got louder when they realized she was here, but she only saw him. There was still some of his black eye left, and the scar on his cheek looked like it wouldn't fade so easily. Finally, he turned his head when the whispers got too loud to ignore. His eyes widened briefly when they met hers and then he stood up and smiled.

"Hey, Yug. What's up?"

If it weren't for those words in this situation, she probably would never know just how fast irritation could turn to anger. Before she knew it, she made her way to him and the second she was in range, kicked his shin as hard as she could, under the stunned and confused gazes of their classmates.

"Ow! Yug, what the hell?"

"What do you mean, what the hell?" she shouted. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? Do you enjoy this?"

She breathed heavily and he had trouble holding her gaze.

"I'm sorry, I just..."

"You just what? Needed space? Then why didn't you just say so, instead of jerking me around? Would it have killed you to tell me you were alright? Come on, Joey! You take off without a word, you drunk dial me, you say weird stuff to me, you won't tell me what's wrong with you, then you ignore my calls..."

"I really drunk dialed ya?" he asked, interrupting her rant.

She stared at him, dumbfounded. "Oh my God... You don't even remember, do you?"

"Mai told me I called ya but... Did I say somethin' weird?"

In other words, he had no clue he'd confessed to her. Just when she thought she'd ran out of things to be pissed about. He rubbed the back of his head and smiled awkwardly at her, expecting her to go on. She couldn't believe him. Part of her wanted to keep screaming. Another wanted her to burst out in laughter. Unable to find a compromise, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him behind her out of the classroom. He followed without any complaint or attempt to stop her. The bell rang, telling them that class was about to start but for once she really couldn't care less. She dragged him to the roof. There, she dropped her bag but kept her back turned to him, looking at the horizon.

"I'm really sorry Yug. I didn't mean to shut ya out, I just... I knew if I told ya anythin' ya'd freak out for me. Guess that kind of backfired, huh?"

"That's an understatement." Sighing she turned around and threw him a desperate glare. "You're impossible, Joey. I can't keep up with you."

The blank stare he gave her was priceless. "Say what?"

"You act like an idiot, but you always manage to confuse the hell out of me. You need to slow down and let me catch up!"

His face would've made her laugh if she weren't so busy letting off all of that steam.

"I want to know what you're up to Joey. I want to know you're safe. I want to be with you every chance I get. But you just take off and go where I can't follow, and then you pop out of nowhere with new scars and act like nothing happened. That's driving me nuts here! Seriously. I mean you don't even remember confessing to me but you tell my Grandpa you want to marry me? What's wrong with you?"

A long moment of silence went by as Joey's face suddenly turned crimson and he brought his hand to his face to cover it as best he could.

"Ya heard about that, huh?"

Realizing what she'd just brought back to the table, her own face heated up and she looked away. "I-I heard everything. I was there."

He chuckled nervously. "Guess that didn't help either..."

Thank heaven, that gave her the outing she needed to refocus. "It's not what scared me. When we came back from Egypt, you... took off for whatever reason and you only contacted me because you were drunk. And when you came to talk to Grandpa, you really sounded like you were saying goodbye."

Clenching her arm, she realized she was shaking. Maybe it was the cold wind?

"I was scared you were going to disappear and not come back this time. Just when I realized how much you mean to me. Because you do, Joey. I don't care what you have. I don't care where you came from. I didn't give one bit of that to what comes after. I just... I just love you."

The last words unintentionally escaped her. She'd never expected to confess so spontaneously. It was so unlike her. And she didn't get the time to turn red. Next thing she knew, she was pulled into the tightest of bear hugs. Joey buried his face in her neck and she could feel his warm breath on her skin. It made the rest of her shiver.

"I never thought about any of it, ya know? Becoming someone wasn't a priority. I was just tryin' to keep my head out of the water. Thought it'd be like that for the rest of my life. Now, it's all that matters. I have to earn what I want. That's why I gotta go."

His words tore through her heart and fear shot through her, making all of her muscles tense up at once. Reflexively clenched his uniform jacket like she was afraid he'd disappear if she let go.

"What do you mean by that? Where are you going?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "What do you want to earn so badly?"

"Earn ya, Yug. For that, I need to be someone. I gotta think ahead."

"No, you don't!" she shouted, tears finally bursting out. "Why do you keep doing that? Stop taking on burdens you don't have to carry! Stop making me watch you suffer from afar! You don't have to earn me. You already have me, you idiot! Can't you see that?"

For a while, the only sound was the one of her heavy breathing and choked sobs. She was clenching his jacket so much that her knuckles hurt. She thought her heart was going to pop. He said nothing but she felt his hold on her loosen.

"Yugi, let go."

She tensed up, mentally preparing herself to tackle him down if need be. Shutting her eyes, she tightened her grip even more.

"No."

"I ain't gonna vanish in thin air."

"No!" she snapped stubbornly.

She hear him sighed and he grabbed her shoulders, trying to push her off of him gently. But she still refused to move. "Ya're killin' me. Okay, don't let go. Just look at me."

Okay, maybe she could do that. She looked up and shock struck her. Joey was smiling at her and looking right at her with his gentle eyes. But his face was bright red and two tears dripped on his cheeks. Oh God, what had she done? Confused she let go off him and took a step back. Her old reflex kicked in.

"I-I'm sorry..."

She had trouble holding his gaze so her eyes kept looking back and forth between him and the ground. Suddenly he laughed. While the tears kept streaming down his face, he laughed covering his eyes with a hand. Letting himself tumble backwards, his back hit the wired fence and he slid down until he was on the ground.

"Joey?"

"That's so like ya. Apologizin' for nothin'." He chuckled again before removing his hand from his face. "Ya can't keep up with me? Give me a break. I can't even see ya comin'. Do ya have any idea what ya just said to me? Have a little mercy, Yug."

He was crying tears of happiness? Her own face started heating up like crazy. The second bell then rang, telling them that they were both late. The wind blew a little stronger, playing with their hair and they stared at each other, him staring straight at her and her struggling to keep eye contact. Why did she feel like his eyes were devouring her?

"I reached my first goal, ya know? Ya don't realize how strong ya got. Strong enough to stand up for yarself. Strong enough not to need me. I was scared that ya'd realize it too, and I didn't want to be there when ya did."

That left her dumbfounded. Tea and Kisa were right, he was scared. So they both were freaking out in their corner? Geez. They'd just barely realized they were into each other and they were already having communication problem. Without any warning, she started chuckling and took the opportunity to wipe the water off her eyes.

"We're both idiots, huh?"

"Looks like it," he said, imitating her.

With that, the atmosphere suddenly became a bit lighter. Without adding anything, she came closer and sat beside him, leaning her back on the fence.

"We suck at this," she said, wrapping her arms around her legs.

"No kiddin'."

Another silence went by. Yugi glanced at him. Being in his presence and having lashed out like that had helped calm her down. But they still weren't done talking. She took a deep breath to ask the one question she didn't want an answer to.

"Joey, what did you mean when you said that you gotta go?"

"Ya heard what I told Grandpa Muto right? In less than a year, I'll turn eighteen. My old man's gonna kick me out of the apartment. Even if he doesn't, I won't stay."

Yugi could imagine that a man who didn't even pay health insurance for his son would have no qualm kicking him out if it meant he could save money for his gambling addiction. He won't have to be legally responsible for Joey after he turns eighteen. No more school supplies, no more clothes or food to buy for him... She bit the inside of her cheek. No one should have a father like that. No one. And of course Joey wouldn't stay there a second longer than he had to.

"Thing is, I'll be a legal adult in the middle of the school year. So I thought I'd call it quits at the end of this year. To find a job and save up."

Her heart tightened in her chest. It made sense. It made perfect sense for him to think ahead because he knew what was going to happen and no one could stop it. Kaiba's words rang in her head. _I'll be surprised if he even graduates high school_. Had he predicted that Joey would have no senior year already?

"Where are you planning to go?"

"No clue. I don't wanna stay in Hoshu that's for sure. I thought I'd even try another city. Anywhere I can find some work."

Wouldn't that mean that they only had a couple of months left together? The misery she felt inside could've killed the Disney industry. Was it suppose to feel like her heart was shrinking?

"Isn't there another way?" she asked, as her mind desperately calculsting for an alternative. "Can't you stay with someone? Tristan maybe? I-I could ask Grandpa to give you a job at the Game Shop..."

"Thanks Yug, really," he said interrupting her. "But this is somethin' I gotta do on my own. I can't leech off all of ya for the next two years."

She bit her lip as she felt new tears ready to form. "You're still acting like you're all by yourself. Can't I do anything for you?"

An arm wrapped around her shoulder and he pulled her towards him, leaning her head on his shoulder, but still avoiding her eyes. "Ya've done plenty Yug. I need to move on my own for a bit."

She didn't even blush or try to push him away. His words were slowly sinking in, painfully.

"Hey, don't make that face." His hand slid up her neck and buried itself in her hair, gently massaging her skull. "Think of this as my senior year and me takin' off to uni or somethin' at the end of the year, 'kay?"

"Are you sure that's what you want? I mean... don't get me wrong. I-I really want to be with you but, are you sure you're willing to throw yourself in this? What if... what if we don't work out?"

She didn't want to think about it. The possibility that they wouldn't be able to get through this after everything that'd happened to them seemed very unlikely. But it was also a legitimate fear. How many teenage couples held for a lifetime? Especially these days. She hadn't thought about the future. She'd just thought about how badly she wanted to be with him. Now thinking ahead was scary.

"I always expected to live my entire life in Hoshu," he continued, slightly tightening his hold on her, "lookin' over my shoulder, jumpin' from shady job to shady job... I even told myself I'd never have a family so all I need to be looking after was my sorry ass. Yugi, ya changed all of that. Heck, ya changed the whole game for me. The more I was with ya, the bigger I started seein'. Just for that, I can't thank ya enough. This is the first time in my life I've wanted somethin' so bad. Call me crazy but no matter how I look at this, I can only see good stuff comin' from it. So yeah. I'm givin' it everythin'."

The confidence emitting from him was contagious. She felt it reach her, crushing her doubt and fear in mere seconds. So much that even the new tears she'd been ready to shed vanished. It seems that this was Joey's super power. Making her stronger with every word, with every moment she spent with him. But suddenly, his hand left her hair.

"Listen to me bein' all selfish. Sorry. Maybe I'm expectin' way too much of ya. That's just how much this means to me."

It did to her as well. The only difference was that she was the one letting fear and doubt chain her. But the more he talked the more she believed in it. This selfish idea might just lead them to her own greatest wish.

"Hey, I got an idea!"

Joey suddenly sprang up and grabbed her wrist pulling her up to her feet.

"Come on," he said dragging her behind him towards the door.

"Wait a sec," she said barely getting the time to drag her bag. "Where are we going?"

He flashed his widest grin but said nothing as he led her back inside the school. Class had started a while ago, and the hallways were quiet as they hurried through them. Occasionally, when they spotted a teacher, Joey'd change directions to avoid them. Finally, after making a labyrinth out of their way out, they stepped out of the building. The blond boy then sped up so fast towards the gate that she almost fell.

"Joey, hold on..."

"What do you two think you're doing?"

He came to an abrupt stop and she slammed into his back as the gate guardian stepped out from his entrance loge, a cup of coffee in hand, frowning at them. Crap. He'd think they were ditching. Which, granted, was most certainly Joey's idea. But she was by no means a professional ditcher.

"You're the girl that's always here early," said the middle aged man. "I didn't take you for a ditcher. Guess you can never really trust appearances."

"We...We were just..." she said trying to find some good excuse.

"What are you up to, Wheeler? Is this your way of corrupting model students?"

"We're elopin'."

She looked at him in utter shock. "What?!"

The guardian raised an eyebrow at them and stared for a few seconds before sighing. He checked his watch.

"I'm officially still on break, so I'm supposed to be napping right now. I don't have time for teenage love stories."

With that, he turned around and walked back into his box, as if the discussion had never happened. Yugi didn't get the time to get over it, they were running again.

"Joey, wait a second! What did you mean by that?"

He didn't listen and kept running. Quickly her legs started burning and she felt a horrible side stitch. She had to stop before she fell. Twisting her wrist towards the sky, she pulled on it with a sharp move freeing herself from his hold. He stopped immediately after that, turning around to face her.

"Are you... trying... to kill me?" she said in between heavy breaths. "Didn't I tell you... to slow down?"

"Sorry Yug! I got excited. Ya alright?"

She raised a hand to ask him for a minute to try to catch her breath. Man, her lungs burned! She looked around. They were near the mall.

"What the hell did you mean by we're eloping?"

"I figured since we got limited time left, we should make the best of it."

"Meaning what? Do you even know what eloping means?"

"Don't sweat it. We're just runnin' away for today. I'll give ya back to yar Grandpa before curfew. Promise!"

Of course he didn't know. Which she guessed was a good thing.

"Let me guess," he said, crossing his arms, "ya've never ditched before."

"Don't make it sound like it was my idea!"

"Ya seemed pretty okay with ditching to give me a piece of yar mind, though," he said grinning at her.

"That... was important." She looked away to hide the slight blush of her cheeks. "I wasn't going to let you run off when I finally got my hands on you."

"Ever been on a date?"

Now it was impossible to hide the crimson color her entire face was taking. Darn it. "N-No."

"Me neither. Guess we're finding out. It's way too soon for lunch, so what d'ya say about a second breakfast?"

You'd have to be Joey to be this relaxed about this. Date? As in a date, date? Why did that feel so weird? It shouldn't. He liked her, she liked him. A lot. So logically this was normal... For pete's sake, the guy told her Grandpa he wanted to marry her. But their relationship had started as anything but normal. So the normal stuff seemed weird. How did she managed to make this so much more complicated? Dates usually started with food, didn't they? As if on cue, her stomach growled reminding her that she'd forgotten to eat breakfast at all this morning.

"Yug?" She'd stayed quiet too long and he was rubbing the back of his head nervously. "Look, if ya're really uncomfortable with this, we can go back..."

"I like pancakes!" she blurted out.

His eyes widened for a bit and then his grin came back. "Great! Me too. And I know a place. Come on."

He went on ahead and she jogged to catch up to him. They stayed quiet walking side by side and she stared at her feet, as her face still felt hot as hell. Risking a glance at him, she saw that he was looking straight ahead with a confident smile. Sometimes she wished her mind was just as straightforward as his. Then again, who knew how stormy it was in there? How was it to know that when you'd get home at the end of the day, there was a chance you'd get beaten senseless? The scar on his cheek was impossible to miss.

'He really should get out of that house as soon as possible.'

Joey led her to a place called Ji's, a small bakery that seemed to double as a café. He ordered pancakes (which she had to pay for since he didn't have his wallet) and they walked to Catfish park. There, they picked a bench near the canal to settle for their 'second' breakfast. That same canal where she'd tried to get rid of her puzzle and he'd fished her out of the icy water.

"So what have ya been up to while I was gone?" he asked, stuffing the rest of his waffle-pancake in his mouth.

Leave it to Joey to act like everything was normal and try to start a classic conversation. But this time, she wanted to be on equal ground with him. So she threw him a serious look.

"Will you answer my questions if I answer yours?"

Her tone surprised him but he smiled and nodded. "Ya have bags under your eyes. I take it ya have nightmares too."

"Yeah. I did manage to sleep five hours last night but that's it."

"What do ya dream about?"

"I don't remember clearly but most of the time I'm alone and it's dark. It feels like something is watching me, waiting to eat me or something."

A shiver travelled throughout her body and goosebumps invaded her skin. Her memories flashed before her eyes of her encounter with Zorc and Akefia. It was safe to say she'd seen the worst of this world. In fact, they all had.

"What about you?"

"It's kind of blurry. But ya're always there, callin' out to me. And I can't move. Anythin' not depressin'?"

"Well, Grandpa's already back on track, but you knew that. Tristan and Tea are still glued to each other." She hesitated. "Kaiba... confessed to me."

She expected him to make a face but it didn't seem to surprise him. "I was wonderin' if he'd do it at all. Prideful bastard. What d'ya tell him?"

She frowned at him. "What do you think?"

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just messin' with ya. Believe it or not, I actually feel sorry for the guy." Actually, she had no trouble believing that. Joey was kind like that. Even to Kaiba. "But to tell ya the truth, it's a load off my shoulders. By the way Yug, I was only half joking earlier but..."

His head suddenly landed on her shoulder, causing her to tense up.

"I perfectly know what elopin' means," he whispered.

She felt hot. She thanked the weather for that chili wind that passed by at that moment. But what she felt in those words was not teasing. Well not entirely, anyway. It was determination.

"You... really want to marry me?"

"Hell yeah. One track mind, remember?"

So straightforward. So easy. No room for fear or doubt. So Joey-like. Her cheeks were red but she smiled. She couldn't help but smile. She also thanked God that there was no one else around to see that.

"Relax Yug. I ain't gonna drag ya to a church or anythin' like that."

"I'm not that worried."

"Oh that's right!" The blond suddenly straightened up and nearly touched foreheads with her. "I never actually said it face to face, did I?"

"What?"

"I love ya, Yugi. And I want to love ya for however long I live."

She stared at him, shaking her head. What a weirdo. He borderline proposed to her before even telling her that. Was there nothing that shook him even a tiny bit? Well it was the same guy who'd broken into someone's mansion and travelled halfway across the world to save her.

"How are you that confident?"

"I gotta be. That's the only way I know how to operate. I'm an idiot after all. That's why I need ya."

It was over. She was done. Her fear had lost this fight a long time ago. Joey's words had energized her own desire. She wanted this to work. So she'd do exactly like him. Fight for it with everything she had. His smile turned to the widest grin, and she knew he knew what was going on in her head. She moved before she understood herself what she was doing. She could smell the sun again when their lips touched.

'What the hell am I doing?'

She didn't know how to kiss, so it did feel weird. She wasn't sure she was doing it right. And he wasn't moving. But she liked the touch and she missed it when she pulled back. Oh God, what had she just done? She expected to feel the volcano exploding inside her face anytime, but she froze when she saw Joey's face. He was white as a sheet, mouth hanging open like a fish out of water. He tried speaking but nothing came out.

"..."

She snorted, trying to hold back a laugh and that made him turn crimson. She could practically see steam coming out of his ears! He turned away from her to hide his face.

"Damn it. See what I mean about you bein' unpredictable?"

"Sorry." Taking pity on him, she looked down, smiling at the ground. "Consider it is payback for avoiding me. But honestly, Joey. I really want this. But when you'll be gone, I'll be scared again. I'm a scaredy cat like that. So you have to make me stronger before you have to go. Okay?"

A warm hand caressed her cheek. Before pinching and pulling on it.

"Ow!"

"Stole the words right out of my mouth, shrimp. Ya're way stronger than ya think. Ya proved it to me a dozen times. Time to let that sink in yarself, got it?"

"Okay, okay! Let go!"

He snickered but let her go and she rubbed her aching cheek. That was going to burn for a while. Jerk. She honestly preferred headlocks. Joey got up to go sit on the grass on the edge of the water. Reflexively, she got up and followed after him.

"I ain't completely idiotic. I make it sound easy, but I know it's gonna be tough. I'll miss ya. Horribly, actually."

At least that made two of them. She sat down next to him. Sensing the emotion getting to her, she pinched herself and followed his example, by smiling.

"Well, you're pretty good at handling tough."

"Still, I'm gonna need to fill up my Yuginergy bar before I go."

She raised an eyebrow at him. And she thought she was a dork. "And what does that mean?"

That answer made him smirk. That same smirk she was terrified of a few months ago. Laying down in the grass, he pulled her down with him and she didn't resist as he wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head in her neck. He reminded her of a little kid.

"Ya mind lettin' me recharge like this for a bit? My old man was throwin' a tantrum last night. I didn't sleep much."

With that he closed his eyes and his breath quickly got slower. How the heck was he already sleeping?

'Well, you already kind of decided that already...'

But she didn't mind. It was awkward but better than to have no idea where he was. The scar on his cheek caught her eye again. She traced it gently with her finger. His black eye hadn't completely vanished either. Who knows how much pain he really felt inside? Or was he so used to it that he didn't feel it anymore? In the end, maybe a couple of months was too long. He'd already endured things no one should have in his seventeen years of life. She made a promise to herself to watch him closely, like he'd watched her back. For now, she'd just pray that he was alright. If she was going to be stuck here for the rest of the day, she might as well get her fill of 'Joeynergy' as well.

'Why am I such a dork?' she thought rolling her eyes at herself.

She'd completely forgotten about cutting class. Grandpa would kill her if he learns that. And she was never going to live this down if her friends learned it. But somehow, she didn't care. Not right now. Maybe it was the exhaustion? She closed her eyes, wishing she'd fall asleep for the first time since they got back.

"Yugi?"

Wasn't he asleep already? "Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"What for?"

"Lovin' me."

A familiar throb shook her heart, reminding her just how much this guy had given her and why she loved him so much. The thought of having that warmth forever... was nice.

* * *

 **Cheesy happy open endings... my only weakness! Hope it wasn't too much for you all. Again, thank you for reading!**

 **I might write some bonus scenes but you know me well by now, I can't promise anything. I wish you all good things! ;)**

 **See ya!**


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